German specialty chemicals company Evonik announced that its 3D printing material portfolio has been renamed INFINAM.
This move will enable all the company's ready-made resins and filaments, regardless of their delivery form or technical application, to be sold under the same brand, with the exception of its biomaterial product line. It is said that Evonik’s new trademark reflects the "unlimited 3D applications" provided by its printed materials, and the company regards the INFINAM name as an important step in establishing its brand in the market.
ThomasGroe-Puppendahl said: "In addition to our main visual effects and our commitment to use Evonik materials to develop unlimited 3D applications ("Infinite Meets Reality"), new product brands play a vital role in our unique market image. The ultimate role," Evonik’s Head of Additive Manufacturing Innovation Growth.
"INFINAM provides our customers and partners with a clear positioning in the range of additive manufacturing products."
Evonik`s new INFINIM product line will include all its 3D printing materials, except for its medically certified biological materials.
Evonik expands 3D printing product portfolio
Although Evonik is one of the world’s largest chemical companies, Evonik’s products now include 3D software and various printing polymers produced by its smart materials division. The company currently operates in more than 100 countries/regions. Last year, the materials business alone generated 3.4 billion euros in revenue.
Evonik offers a range of thermoplastic and polyamide printing powders that are specifically designed for the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process. In recent years, the company has been seeking to expand its polymer materials business and in February 2018 increased its VESTOSTINT powder output by 50% to meet demand.
Later, in June 2019, Evonik collaborated with Evolve Additive Solutions to develop a series of thermoplastics for Evolve's selective thermoplastic electrophotographic process (STEP) technology. Next comes a collaboration with 3D printer manufacturer voxeljet, which aims to create a new powder binder system to produce polymer parts for industrial applications.
Recently, the company launched the first software optimization tool for 3D printing and developed a variety of medical materials for use in the selective laser sintering (SLS) printing process. Evonik released its new RESOMER powder in February 2020, which has a stress shielding function to prevent bone loss, and subsequently obtained PEEK filaments certified for surgical use.
Interestingly, Evonik has chosen to distinguish its medical-grade materials from other products in its product portfolio, but in the next phase of additive expansion, the rest of its polymers will now be labeled with the same brand.
Evonik plans to launch new "ready-to-use photopolymers" in the next few months to follow the rebranding of its material portfolio. The picture comes from Evonik.
Evonik's new INFINAM material series
Evonik’s decision to rename its 3D printing material product portfolio was after the company launched a series of new products last year, reflecting its desire to stand out in an increasingly crowded market.
As part of the restart, the company's INFINAM product line now covers its polyetheretherketone (PEEK), impact-resistant photopolymer (TI), and thermoplastic copolyester (TPC) and amide (TPA) printing materials. In order to distinguish the different product types of INFINAM, the brand name will be added after the relevant material category, that is, Evonik’s PEEK material will be called INFINAM TPC.
The company has renamed almost all material combinations, except for its biological materials, which will retain its original name. For example, Evonik’s VESTAKEEP plastic implants and RESOMER series of bioabsorbable filaments, powders and granules have been excluded from the transfer to the INFINAM brand.
Given that its VESTAKEEP and RESOMER polymers meet strict medical standards and specifications, the company considers the difference between them to be valuable, and therefore chooses to separate them.
Evonik began to release its latest 3D printing material series last year. With the launch of INFINAM, the company plans to launch its first "ready-to-use photopolymer" in the next few months.
The company has also expanded its technical expertise through the recently opened development center in Austin, Texas. Looking ahead, Evonik plans to combine its new facilities with its INFINAM series to set "additional standards for the quality and performance of 3D printing materials."