The University of Girona (UdG) and the Eurecat technology center have joined forces to create a laboratory in Girona that will promote digital manufacturing and 3D printing. An equipment, which is located in the Scientific and Technological Park and which wants to contribute to the deployment of such disruptive technology in the industrial field, in the social field and in research.
Both the UdG and Eurecat have been working for years on the creation of various products with 3D technology. One of those that is under development is the manufacture of cardiac stents implantable in the human body. They also work on cranial or scapholunate ligament prostheses, as explained today by Inés Ferrer, associate professor of manufacturing process engineering at the UdG.
The applications of this technology go far beyond the biomedical sector. Other fields such as aeronautics, automotive, construction, textiles or renewable energies can also benefit from this technology, which was available to very few not many years ago.
Everything changed in 2012 when the exclusivity of the first patents was prescribed. The progressive democratization of 3D printing technology has allowed the cost of printing machines to reduce over time.
The director of Eurecat's industry area, Xavier Plantà, explains that if in 2012, a 3D printer could cost around 12,000 euros, now they can be purchased for 150 or 300. "This groundbreaking technology has a sustained growth of 14 % or 15% annually," he added.
"Today they are used mainly for small series; the big change will come when this technology can be introduced in car manufacturing; production can reach a thousand vehicles per day," Plantà explained this morning, during the presentation of this laboratory in Girona. .
The center, which has industrial machinery, is now at the service of companies, entrepreneurs, but also schools and institutes so that students acquire knowledge of this sector and develop their creativity.
The manager of Eurecat, Guillem Quintana, who stressed that advanced 3D technology will be one of those that will change the world of manufacturing in the coming years, explained that the center will help transfer 3D printing technologies to society, to industry and the research sector.
The mayor of the city, Lluc Salellas, highlighted precisely the "social work" that this center will have, which allows what happens within the walls of the university, "not to stay there, but to reach society."
For his part, the rector of the UdG, Quim Salvi, highlighted the "sum of intelligence" that has allowed the creation of this laboratory, which he hopes will become a "country infrastructure", at the service of researchers, students and companies.
Regarding the reason for this equipment in Girona, the general corporate and operations director of Eurecat, indicated that "we are present where things happen, and things not only happen in Barcelona."
