3D PRINT COMPOUNDS | TECHNOLOGY
3D print developments target volume markets
Large volume custom manufacturing is on the horizon for 3D printing processes and new developments in compounds are playing a major role. Mark Holmes reports
The range of compounds suitable for 3D printing — or additive manufacturing — continues to grow and formulations are increasingly being developed with specific 3D print production processes in mind. Many compound producers are collaborat- ing with specialist suppliers of 3D printing materi- als and with machinery manufacturers to optimise the performance and processing of new materials. A great deal of this development work is intended to take 3D print manufacturing technologies to the next level, supporting the move from the prototyp- ing environment through to production of one-off and customised products and, ultimately, to high volume tailored manufacturing. LyondellBasell, for example, has recently launched Beon3D, a range of polypropylene (PP) compounds intended for production of complex,
www.compoundingworld.com
high quality 3D printed objects in one step. The company says the Beon3D materials are intended to advance the adoption of additive manufacturing in markets such as transportation, industrial and consumer goods, building and construction. While often associated with the production of single items, 3D print technologies are also suitable for large-scale custom manufacturing. However, the choice of polymers has been restricted due to processing challenges. PP compounds, for example, are the material of choice for many industrial-manu- factured parts due to their good mechanical properties, scratch and chemical resistance, light weight, as well as resource efficiency. But the polymer is not easy to process in extrusion-based 3D print processes such as fused deposition modelling (FDM) and fused filament fabrication (FFF).
Main image: 3D print
compounds are increasingly being
�
developed for volume production and specific production techniques. The latest Repsol introductions are pitched at FDM and FFF equipment
May 2021 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 47
IMAGE: REPSOL
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62
