OptiMal Forming Solutions Sebastiaan Boers FlexiMold

OptiMal Forming SolutionsSebastiaan BoersFlexiMolds.h.a.boers@tue.nlwww.optimalforming.comTel. +31 40247 4022Optimal Forming Solutions Introduction and OverviewSebastiaan Boers has a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in the field ofdeformation processes of materials. He investigated the complex deformationbehavior of specific steels which are used in the automotive industry. A part of hisresearch was the development of a reconfigurable mold to validate numerical FEMsimulations. The concept of a reconfigurable mold is commercially and technicallyvery attractive and challenging. After his Ph.D. he started his company OptiMalForming solutions (OFS) to exploit the FlexiMold technology. With a launchingcustomer he is building an industrial prototype for vacuum forming applications.At this moment OFS is also working on a large scale version for fabricating 3Dcurved façade elements and concrete structures.The FlexiMold PrototypeThe idea started at the beginning of his research in 2002. Based on the Pin-artdesign toy from the 80’s, Boers wanted to develop a flexible and reconfigurablefabrication method which enabled him to produce 3D curved metal plates. Aftertwo years, a prototype was built and a patent was granted for the workingprinciple of the mold. Although the prototype with an effective working volume of40 x 50 x 25 mm 3 is small, it has all the essential ingredients: it is automaticallyreconfigurable from a CAD design, it has a high resolution, the reproducibility ishigh and 3D curved products can be produced.Figure 1: The prototype can automatically be reconfigured into various shapes within a fewminutes. Each pin can have a unique position.A market trend: Mass customizationConventional (rigid) molds are expensive to build and they can only be used tomake one specific product. Therefore rigid molds are not suited for the productionof small series. A reconfigurable mold however, which can be easily adjusted froma CAD design will enable the production of small series. OptiMal Forming

Solutions believes that the commercial potential of the FlexiMold system is largedue to the growing demand of mass-customization.Current developmentsOptiMal Forming Solutions is currently developing two industrial prototypes. Atthe end of 2009 OFS will present the FlexiMold001 (FM1) and the FlexiMold002(FM2).Both devices are based on the same concept, except FM2 will be a large versionof FM1. The FM1 will be developed for vacuum forming applications, whereas FM2can be used in combination with composite lay-up and prefab concrete castingapplications. The FM2 will have an effective working volume of 1000 x 1000 x 500mm 3 and will enable the production of 3D double curved façade elements for e.g.Blob buildings.Figure 2: Examples of Blob architecture, where no single façade element has the sameshape.The FlexiMold system will enable the operator to convert a CAD design of acurved panel immediately to the mold surface. Within a few minutes the mold isreconfigured and the product can be produced. The advantage of the FlexiMoldsystem will be the fabrication speed, the reproducibility and shape accuracy of theend product.The FlexiMold technology offers a innovative solutions for the production of smallseries of products and 3D double curved panels and structures. Sebastiaan Boersgives a workshop about the future applications of FlexiMold systems and he willelaborate further upon his plans.