3D printing – demonstration mock-ups

Elgór + Hansen S.A. offers products and services in the fields of power electronics, electronics and automation of industrial facilities. It offers both proprietary solutions and products of recognized global brands. The company supports customers at home and abroad in every phase of investment, i.e. design, construction, documentation and servicing of equipment. Elgór + Hansen S.A. introduced 3D printing technology in 2020, based on the Omni500 LITE printer from Polish manufacturer - Omni3D. The machine is mainly used for printing prototypes of equipment components produced by Elgór + Hansen S.A., i.e. equipment components, handles, reductions, fastening elements, etc. In addition, the company also carries out prints for external orders.

Challenge

Photovoltaics in Poland are steadily gaining in popularity. Subsidies for renewable energy sources and rising electricity prices convince people that it is worth investing in a photovoltaic installation. As a result, one can see a huge dynamic in the creation of new solar power plants in Poland. In August 2022, Polish power plants produced 14.1 TWh of electricity – of which 2.5 TWh came from RES installations, accounting for as much as 17.5% of the total. The structure of installed RES capacity is dominated by photovoltaics. Such dynamic development of this area means that ancillary products created for photovoltaic farms, or installations installed by energy consumers, must develop just as quickly.

Application

In response to the needs of the photovoltaic industry, Elgór + Hansen S.A. has prepared a new product, which is the container transformer station „FUTURA”. The assumptions of the project also included the aspect of arrangement, as a very important point distinguishing the product from the competition. One of them was to symbolize the green nature of energy and blend in with the surroundings. Work on the project confirmed the importance of cooperation between industry and the design community, where technical aspects, environmental and design elements must correlate.

Solution

Prototyping of the new product was carried out with the support of the Omni500 LITE 3D printer, which greatly accelerated the work. The target was to create two versions of the „FUTURA” container station in completely different arrangements – „AGRO” and „GLASS”, but it is also possible to create individual, personalized designs. Thanks to the aforementioned Omni500 LITE printer, mock-ups with 3D prints of the station in 1:20 scale were created in a matter of hours (the model was divided into parts and later glued together). In this way, the proposed arrangements could be presented to stakeholders and subject to further improvements and changes. The cost of subsequent iterations and presentation of the new product was thus minimal. At the same time, the scaling up and down of the large-scale product for mock-ups provided the opportunity to present it in different locations of the planned arrangements.

Photo – 3D print of the container transformer station „FUTURA”

Photo – a mock-up of the container transformer station „FUTURA AGRO”.

Photo – mock-up of the container transformer station „FUTURA GLASS”.

Effect

The whole project was created for 2 weeks – printing, arranging, painting, completing with additional elements, such as lighting, a piece of scenery. Container stations in the form of impressive mock-ups were finally presented at many meetings and fairs.

Currently, production of container stations in „FUTURA AGRO” and „FUTURA GLASS” versions has already started. They are characterized by modern design and low weight, which facilitates their foundation on diverse terrain. „FUTURA AGRO” is a concept inspired by the natural landscape – vertical, wood imitation elements create a harmonious structure. „FUTURA GLASS,” on the other hand, refers to the facades of modern urban spaces.

Photo – container transformer station „FUTURA AGRO”.

Reliability and respect for the environment were the key features that guided the designers of the FUTURA container transformer station by Elgór + Hansen S.A.. An innovative approach to construction topics and support of these processes with 3D technology have greatly accelerated the work in the company’s construction department.  Engineers are not afraid to innovate, as they can quickly and efficiently confirm their theories with the help of prototypes printed thanks to the Omni500 LITE printer.

Print specification: