Materials manufacturer Covestro and 3D printer industry player voxeljet are collaborating to develop material-machine combinations to economically add material to mass production of polymer parts. Through the high-speed sintering (HSS) process, voxeljet combines the advantages of two existing 3D printing technologies, selective laser sintering for achievable part quality and bonding productivity benefits. Following the joint development and certification of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) powder for the HSS process, the two companies will continue to collaborate to provide seamless material and process solutions for mass production of their specific applications and products.
Typically, materials and processing technologies are used separately in the value chain, and customers have to figure out for themselves how to match the two," explains Geoff Gardner, director of additive manufacturing innovation at Covestro. "This is a hurdle we hope to overcome with voxeljet, as we believe it limits the large-scale integration of additive manufacturing into the production environment. This is where the high-speed steel process offers manufacturers an economical mass production solution plan, thanks to the scale and speed associated with constant switching time." Integrated materials and process solutions With the help of voxeljet's VX1000 large-format HSS 3D printing system and Covestro's expertise in functional material development, integrated materials and process solutions are being developed that can be used for mass production.
James Reeves, Global Director voxeljet Polymer Sintering (HSS): "The two companies are working together here. They strongly believe in interdisciplinary collaboration in the additive ecosystem. The potential of HSS in processing special powder materials is huge. By providing our customers with a wide variety of materials, we've accelerated their path to cutting-edge products." Materials the company is considering include TPU, which is ideal for footwear and cushioning applications, as well as thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polypropylene (PP). The collaboration with voxeljet includes the expansion of the new material to the VX1000 HSS large-format industrial 3D printing system, which is currently accessible through voxeljet's Early Access Beta program.
Typically, materials and processing technologies are used separately in the value chain, and customers have to figure out for themselves how to match the two," explains Geoff Gardner, director of additive manufacturing innovation at Covestro. "This is a hurdle we hope to overcome with voxeljet, as we believe it limits the large-scale integration of additive manufacturing into the production environment. This is where the high-speed steel process offers manufacturers an economical mass production solution plan, thanks to the scale and speed associated with constant switching time." Integrated materials and process solutions With the help of voxeljet's VX1000 large-format HSS 3D printing system and Covestro's expertise in functional material development, integrated materials and process solutions are being developed that can be used for mass production.
James Reeves, Global Director voxeljet Polymer Sintering (HSS): "The two companies are working together here. They strongly believe in interdisciplinary collaboration in the additive ecosystem. The potential of HSS in processing special powder materials is huge. By providing our customers with a wide variety of materials, we've accelerated their path to cutting-edge products." Materials the company is considering include TPU, which is ideal for footwear and cushioning applications, as well as thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polypropylene (PP). The collaboration with voxeljet includes the expansion of the new material to the VX1000 HSS large-format industrial 3D printing system, which is currently accessible through voxeljet's Early Access Beta program.