In the additive manufacturing industry, this is the busiest time of the year. With the recent Munich Technology Conference (MTC3) and one of the industry's largest events, Formnext and other events held in succession within a month, companies from the AM industry are stepping up preparations to launch new alliances, strategies, and products. We saw some exciting product launches from 3D printing company Carbon.
Carbon launches new RPU 130 resin
Carbon announced that it will launch a new resin material RPU 130 suitable for the automotive industry. This material is derived in part from plants and provides a more sustainable solution for high-performance applications requiring good strength, hardness and high temperature resistance.
RPU 130 is the latest member of Carbon's rigid polyurethane material family. It combines the excellent properties of Carbon's existing resins, including RPU 70, FPU 50 and EPX82. This new material is a tough, heat-resistant and impact-resistant resin with properties similar to ABS, unfilled nylon or polypropylene.
"Our materials team at Carbon is second to none, and RPU 130 represents a real breakthrough in the field of new additives," commented Dr. Joseph DeSimone, Co-founder and CEO of Carbon. "Although some additives also have these properties, RPU 130 is the first to integrate them in a material suitable for the most demanding conditions. We are proud of the science of bringing this innovative material to the market. "
In addition to being used in automobiles, RPU 130 is also very suitable for industrial and consumer products, including sunglasses, tool housings and equipment housings. The dual-cured engineering resin was specifically developed for carbon digital light synthesis (DLS) technology.
In order to introduce new materials, Carbon also introduced a new heating system C5 Cassette, which can use high-performance resins. It also supports new distribution solutions and can be adjusted through software.
As mentioned earlier, the material is partially plant-based, a result of a collaboration with DuPont Tate & Lyle Bioproducts. The resin is made of approximately 30% Susterra propylene glycol, a 100% bio-based building material used in polymers, coatings and inks. Compared with petroleum alternatives, Susterra propylene glycol has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 48% and non-renewable energy consumption by 46%.
Jason Rolland, Carbon`s senior vice president of materials, said: “We are focused on developing materials in a more sustainable way. Our partnership with DuPont Tate & Lyle underscores this commitment. We believe that sustainable development can go hand in hand with improving performance. We believe that RPU 130 is more attractive to our customers because it has the potential to produce higher quality products, which are ultimately more environmentally friendly.