3D Printing Materials

3D Systems was the first company to commercialize SLA 3D printing, therefore no series on the State of Resin 3D printing would be complete without their insights.  Dr. Edwin Hortelano is the Senior Vice President, Materials Engineering and Development at 3D Systems. Responsible for all materials development at 3D Systems, Dr. Hortelano brings experience gained from a long career in materials science and chemistry-focused enterprises, including a stint as CTO for Bostik Inc.  In this article, Dr. Hortelano discusses exciting recent developments in material development for thermoset, thermoplastic like, and elastomeric materials. We want to hear from you. Where is resin 3D printing winning and what are the hurdles? Take the Spotlight on Resin 3D Printing survey now. The 3D Systems SLA 1. Photo by Michael Petch. 3DPI: How have you seen resin-based 3D printing develop in recent years? Dr. Edwin Hortelano: Overall, the industry continues to expand the properties…    read more 

Meltio, a developer of metal 3D printing hardware, has announced the launch of its own wire-based 3D printing materials range for the first time. The company has historically boasted an open materials platform for its wire Laser Metal Deposition (LMD) technology, so the new product line is a change in gears. Nevertheless, Meltio’s 3D printing technology remains compatible with third-party commodity welding wires. As it stands, LMD is compatible with most stainless steels, mild steels, tool steels, titanium alloys, and nickel alloys. Additionally, invar, cobalt-chrome alloys, and precious metals like gold have shown great results in customer-led projects. Named Meltio Materials, the new materials range currently includes Stainless Steel 316L, Stainless Steel 308, Mild Steel ER70S, Titanium 64, and Nickel 718 (Inconel). Materials like copper, aluminum, and refractories continue to be under development. Open Materials vs Meltio Materials So what new benefits will the Meltio Materials range actually provide? To…    read more 

When 3D printing began in the early 1980s, it was with photopolymer resins and technology developed by Charles “Chuck” Hull. After the invention of stereolithography, Hull would go on to found 3D Systems – and almost 4 decades later the 3D printing with resin market has found applications in sectors spanning aerospace to automotive.  We’re launching a new series looking at this cornerstone of the industry, and in the coming months will be sharing insights from experts across this sector. To get things underway we’d like to understand more about the current materials landscape for vat photopolymerization. If you use resin 3D printing systems or services, if you are considering using them, or even if you have decided they don’t meet your needs then we want to hear from you. Please continue to the end of the survey and click “submit” to send us your answers. To receive updates about…    read more 

The past month has yielded several announcements from the copper 3D printing sector. Infinite Flex, a Germany-based developer of smart materials, recently launched what it claims to be the world’s first pure copper powder for SLM 3D printing. Dubbed INFINITE POWDER Cu 01, the material has already been successfully tested on a number of standard SLM 3D printers such as the EOS M290 and Trumpf TruPrint 1000, and is now commercially available.  Elsewhere, UK-based alloy design firm Alloyed recently showcased its latest copper 3D printing application – a highly optimized cooling plate for use in high-performance temperature regulation applications. Michael Holmes, MD at Alloyed, said, “The cooling plate is a great example of what can be done when optimized AM geometry is combined with optimized AM material properties.” Alloyed’s 3D printed copper cooling plate. Photo via Alloyed. Infinite Flex’s INFINITE POWDER Cu 01 Pure copper is well known for its…    read more 

The 2021 3D Printing Industry Awards shortlists are now open for voting until the 20th of October. Cast your votes here. UpNano, a Vienna-based manufacturer of high-precision 3D printers, has developed two new resins for use with its 2-photon polymerization (2PP) 3D printing technology. Named UpBlack and UpOpto, the photopolymer materials enable the printing of non-transmitting black and translucent parts, respectively. The company states that its latest offerings can be combined to 3D print entire optical systems, including components such as casings and lenses, using the firm’s proprietary NanoOne 3D printer. “We have a complementary optical transparent material in our commercially available materials range,” said Bernhard Küenburg, CEO of UpNano. “Called UpOpto, this material benefits from exhibiting very low fluorescence, which often interferes with many optical, biological, and medical applications.” According to UpNano, several of the company’s customers have already leveraged the new material combination in their day-to-day operations, including…    read more