3D PRINT COMPOUNDS | TECHNOLOGY
Collaboration critical to 3D print progress
Suppliers of 3D print polymers and compounds are forming alliances with equipment providers to move the technology into higher performance application areas, reports Mark Holmes
To continue progress in development of com- pounds for the 3D printing – or additive manufac- turing – marketplace many material manufacturers are forming alliances with equipment and systems developers. The driving force behind these collaborations is to use their complementary resources and know-how to meet ever more demanding applications for this emerging technol- ogy. These development alliances are already finding new ways to process compounds–and in particular reinforced materials–to extend 3D printing into higher performance applications. DSM is one of the companies that has formed
partnerships to launch all-inclusive 3D printing solutions that exploit its full material product line potential and support its entry into both pellet- based Fused Granulate Fabrication (FGF) and liquid-based Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3D printing technologies. The programme – the Trimax Collective – is claimed to be the first of its kind, offering customers a leased printer together with access to its materials and technology support for a fixed monthly fee. Available initially as a long-term lease option for stereolithography (SLA) printers, DSM says it will be extended to include additional
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technologies and short-term trials. “The Trimax Collective allows us to tackle the two biggest barriers to the widespread adoption of 3D printing that exist today: high investment requirements and a lack of experience with additive manufacturing,” says Hugo da Silva, Vice President of DSM Additive Manufacturing. The new partnerships include collaboration with Netherlands-based CEAD to co-develop FGF pellet materials; DSM will use one of CEAD’s printers for research and development and commercial purposes. Together, the two compa- nies will explore the potential of FGF printing technology in applications for production of tooling and for the automotive industry. The CEAD printer features an extruder system
on a six-axis robotic arm from Comau, with control software from Siemens. The machine is also equipped with a milling centre and scanning unit for post-processing the parts directly on the machine. Using this equipment, CEAD and DSM will aim to create material profiles optimised for FGF printing. The cooperation also opens the door to advanced processes such as the combination of continuous fibres with highly filled polymers.
Main image: Successful development of 3D print materials means
combining both materials and processing expertise
� October 2019 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 17
PHOTO: EVONIK
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