Evonik, a specialty chemicals company, is acquiring a Texas-based manufacturer of polymer powders for 3D printing.
The Austin Structural Polymers deal provides Evonik with "a new patented technology that enables the company to expand its specialty polymer powder product portfolio in the additive manufacturing market," the company said.
The move follows a 2017 venture capital investment in Austin Structural Polymers.
"This new technology allows us to use almost any semi-crystalline thermoplastic, such as polybutylene terephthalate, polyetherketone, nylon 6 or polymer powders with special properties such as color, conductivity or fire resistance And produce them for ordinary powder 3D printing, "said Thomas Grosse Puppendahl, head of Evonik's additive manufacturing innovation growth area, in a statement.
He noted that these processes include selective laser sintering, high-speed sintering, and multi-jet fusion.
Structural Polymers has technology to transform polymer particles into very small, fine powders-from 10 microns to 400 microns.
"The technology acquired by Structural Polymers complements our existing high-performance polymer additive manufacturing activities," said Ralph Marquardt, head of strategy and growth at Evonik's Resource Efficiency Division.
The new owner says the Austin Structural Polymers approach can be "easily and economically" scaled up.
Evonik, based in Essen, Germany, sees opportunities in the 3D printing market, and the company says that the 3D printing market is experiencing double-digit growth.
In the 3D printing market, the company has produced nylon 12 powders for use in additive production technology, as well as polyvinylketone filaments.