NEWS
Stratasys takes next STEP to compete with injection moulding
US- and Israel-based Stratasys, a specialist in applied additive technology using 3D printing, has spun off its selective electropho- tographic process (STEP) technology and formed an independent company to run it. Evolve Additive Solutions will be led by Steve Chillscyzn, who co-invented the technology, and will be based at Minnetonka, Minnesota, with a technology centre at Rochester, New York. “We believe the STEP technology is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap in the market not yet addressed by additive or traditional manufacturing technologies,” said Chills- cyzn. “It is the first-of-its-kind technology offering an additive method for mass production.” STEP has been in development for nearly ten years and is aimed at
Production speeds are said to be up to 50 times faster than existing additive
manufacturing
“delivering high-volume production additive manufacturing at break- through speeds compared to other commercially available additive process- es”. The company claims that it can compete with injection moulding and other traditional processes at volumes of hundreds of thousands of units per year, with comparable costs, quality and throughput. Evolve has already begun seeking initial purchase orders from companies in
the automotive, consumer goods and aerospace sectors. Over the next year, it will engage new custom- ers to evaluate beta systems for applications in volume production environments across many different vertical markets. STEP is designed for
automated manufacturing and factory-floor integra- tion, using production- grade thermoplastics for volume production applica- tions across multiple industries. It is said to be
highly scalable and extensi- ble. The process combines Evolve’s proprietary technol- ogy with 2D electrophoto- graphic imaging to align incoming layers precisely, using advanced bonding techniques that create final parts. Key new features claimed include: using engineering-grade amor- phous and semi-crystalline thermoplastics; production speeds up to 50 times faster than existing additive manufacturing; isotropic properties in X, Y and Z directions on a par with injection moulding; multiple material printing capable within the same layer Stratasys has also spun
off Vulcan Labs to develop powder-bed fusion (PBF) additive manufacturing. The initial focus will be on metals but polymers will be added in due course. �
www.evolveadditive.com �
www.vulcan-labs.com
Polykemi to add capacity at Ystad plant
Swedish compounder Polykemi is to install three new extrusion lines at its plant at Ystad during this year to keep pace with increasing demand for reinforced PP and technical compounds based on PA, PC/ABS and PC/PBT. The company told Compounding
World that one of the lines will replace an existing older installation, the other two are additional and will increase capacity at the site from 65,000 tonnes/yr to 73,000 tonnes/year. The investment follows the installa-
tion of two new lines at the facility during 2017. This saw a 7,000 tonne
10 INJECTION WORLD | April 2018
capacity increase and took the total number at the Ystad plant to 25 (33 across the Polykemi Group). Polykemi also upgraded its laboratory and offices last year. Polykemi Group Sales Manager
Mattias Persson said the company had commercialised many new projects during 2017, which helped it push sales up 20% to SEK1.2bn (€116m). “I predict that the strong international market will persist and we expect further growth with increasing volumes during this year,” he said. �
www.polykemi.com
www.injectionworld.com
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