One application example of how 3D printing and automated injection moulding processes can be optimally combined can be seen in the production of plant pots. An electric ALLROUNDER 720 A injection moulding machine with a 4-cavity mould produces the thin-walled pots from recyclate. To gently remove the pots from the mould, Osko uses a special packaging automation system with grippers that are precisely adapted to the product. These grippers can be quickly 3D-printed on demand. The sturdy black middle section, made of fibre-reinforced plastic filament and produced with a TiQ printer, is two to three times lighter and significantly cheaper than an aluminium component. The four white gripping rings in a hard/soft combination were produced by a freeformer using the APF process. To remove the plant pots, the soft gripper part is “inflated” with compressed air, allowing the injection-moulded part to be fixed and handled gently.

A freeformer customer in the medical technology sector has developed a novel application that can replace or at least delay complex knee operations with metal implants. The alternative is called "iKnee": using the patented Resilient Arthroplasty Device (RAD) technology, a patient-specific implant made from biocompatible polycarbonate is inserted into the knee as a cartilage replacement using a minimally invasive procedure.