ZEISS: from 300 euros per operation to 20 with 3D printing

The ZEISS Group develops and distributes semiconductor manufacturing equipment, measurement technologies, microscopes, medical technology, spectacle lenses, camera lenses, binoculars and planetarium technologies. It originated in a precision engineering and optics workshop founded by Carl Zeiss, the company’s founder, in the East German city of Jena in 1846.

For Carl Zeiss Optical Components, a subsidiary of Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH, precision is important, sometimes down to the nanometer. Organizations around the world use ZEISS machines to confirm that they work with high precision.

«The machines we produce are very precise. Therefore, assembling them involved a huge amount of workA From ANDtiin tiinÞA», said Johannes Grimm, Operational Excellence Manager at ZEISS.

Aligned, stable, successful

Every device produced by ZEISS must have the light aligned with the optical measurement axes. This alignment is created with brackets and adjustment screws.

However, each device requires different alignment, which means the ZEISS team has to complete the work manually.

«This is not a very stable process and it is a problem for us. We looked for a better solution and found it in 3D printing,» Johannes said.

By measuring angles in a particular device, the ZEISS team can design and 3D print an adapter plate, which ensures that light travels in exactly the right direction, directly to the device’s sensor, essential for obtaining accurate measurements. ZEISS currently 3D prints unique adapter plates for each microscope in series production.

The company started by designing and printing a component for mass production: the aforementioned adapter plate. He then moved on to masks and fixtures. Unique, customer-focused designs also represent a rich source for 3D printing, with printed prototypes forming the basis of application-specific customized products for specific customers.

“We believe that individual solutions to meet customer demands – hence a greater trend towards individualization – make it more important to have closed-loop and rapidly developed iterations,” Johannes said.

However, ZEISS continues to create custom parts, not just in the traditional sense. Adapter plates are standardized parts, in standardized products, but each part is «custom» in the sense that the plates are set at different angles, meaning they are not customized to customers, but to products.

This is an advantage, according to Johannes. It makes the production process stable. It also marks the beginning of a trend where end-use parts (not just the prototype) are additively manufactured and customized. Furthermore, the number of different customer needs is increasing, and thus the need for 3D printers to handle a multitude of materials, from plastics to composites and metals.

In addition to being a cheaper and more reliable alternative to screws and adjustment brackets, 3D printed adapter plates are also easy for customers to use. Replacement parts can be printed on demand and shipped to a customer’s location where they can be easily installed into a machine.

«[Clientul] he just has to tighten a few screws to replace a very important part that needs to be perfectly aligned for a good measurement,» said Johannes.

“Traditionally, we had to produce several parts, assemble them and then adjust them.All these things are not necessary with additive manufacturing and 3D printing. It helps us save a lot of time and money.»

Easy assembly, hard profits

The ease of use and flexibility of the hardware and software were also important to ZEISS. So is the price. Ultimaker’s open filament system, open source slicing software, Ultimaker Cura and competitive pricing led ZEISS to choose Ultimaker.

An Ultimaker printer was installed in the ZEISS meeting room.

Assembly line workers can create jigs and fixtures themselves, reinforcing the idea that hardware and software should be intuitive and easy to use.

For ZEISS, 3D printing

Ω has reduced delivery times from months to days. Time means extra iterations, it means greater assurance that the final products will be perfect, it means more energy directed towards innovation.

Δ has optimized the cost: what once cost €300, it now costs around €20 per 3D printed part.

In the end, however, the decision to opt for Ultimaker was quite simple:

“The results were reliable and repeatable,” Johannes said. “This is important for a stable production process.”