Scope of the Project : Filter application for the production site in Covestro Coatings & Adhesives in Waalwijk (The Netherlands).
Printed by Colossus.

The Results: In the production process Covestro uses what they call liquid dispensers a.k.a. balloon which are inserted into a filter bag, to push out the residue resin through a filter.

The original dispenser was a hollow metal vessel made out of stainless steel.  An operator is required to lift it multiple times per day over his or her shoulder, but the weight per dispenser was too heavy, hence there was an internal need to improve the ergonomics for the operators.

With this question they came to us; is there a way we can 3D print this technical part, optimize its weight without the loss of functionality and quality? The technical requirements were:
- Pressure; the pressure in the vessel can increase to 5bars.  
- Chemicals; pH ranges from 2-14 Handling; Part will drop on the floor during production and need to withstand impact with the concrete factory floor.  
- Watertight; the balloon in pushing out resin. Therefore the part itself needs to be watertight and the material itself is not allowed to swell as a result of the contact with the resin.
- Design; parts need to be easy to clean. Surface needs to be smooth. And top of the part needs to be easily accessible by the operators.