German 3D printing company voxeljet AG is known for its industrial large-format 3D printers, and it has just launched some special materials for its high-speed sintering (HSS) 3D printers. Two new HSS3D printing materials, polypropylene (PP) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) powders, are currently being evaluated by voxeljet customers in the sports and automotive industries.
The introduction of PP and TPU powders for HSS 3D printing has the potential to open up new applications for the technology. For example, polypropylene is a more versatile polymer and has been widely used in end-use markets. The beneficial properties of this material include stress and crack resistance, as well as good chemical and electrical resistance, even at high temperatures.
In the automotive sector, bumpers, cladding and exterior trim are usually made of PP. Therefore, the potential to use HSS to print 3D parts from PP may affect how the automotive industry adopts and uses additive manufacturing. In addition to the automotive industry, 3D printed PP has potential applications in the electrical / electronics industry, as well as in the industrial, consumer and household goods sectors.
voxeljet adds PP and TPU to 3D printing materials portfolio, expected to be available in 2019
"We were surprised by the speed with which new materials can be certified for high-speed sintering processes," commented Dr. Ingo Ederer, CEO of voxeljet. "In less than 9 months, we were able to identify various grades of polyamide powder and successfully printed several types of thermoplastic polyurethanes."
"We are also working on some very customer-specific materials, including polypropylene-this is one of the most widely used plastic materials in the world. Polypropylene has extremely interesting properties to meet the needs of a wider range of applications. We successfully printed PP on the VX200 HSS system and look forward to a smooth transition to our large-scale automated production system, VJET XHSS. We expect to be available by the end of 2019. "
For its part, TPU is a thermoplastic elastomer that is highly sought after for its flexibility. In addition, the material is known to be melt-processable and suitable for high-precision and high-resolution printing. Compared to other thermoplastic elastomers, TPU is also extremely adaptable, which means it can be used in a variety of applications, including the construction, automotive and even footwear markets.
This adaptability is largely due to TPU being a material with high elasticity, good compressibility and high resistance to impact, tear, weather, abrasion and hydrocarbons. It is said that the main applications of voxeljet's new TPU powder for HSS are sporting goods, industrial parts (which are inherently wide), and hydraulic seals and gaskets.
"We believe these technology and material combinations have the potential to change our industry in the long term," Dr. Ederer added.
As Dr. Ederer emphasized, voxeljet has successfully used its new PP materials on its VX200 HSS system, but is still preparing materials for its large automated production system, VJET XHSS, which is expected to be released in 2019.