Polymer maker Covestro and 3D printing company Carbon are collaborating to expand production of carbon fiber polyurethane liquid resin materials. The material is suitable for producing parts using Carbon's Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) technology. The material will now be produced in large quantities to meet mass production needs.
Carbon's DLS relies on ultraviolet radiation and photoactive polymer resins, which are similar to stereolithography, but print extremely fast. This is largely due to the "liquid dead zone" in the print area, which allows the printed part to be continuously pulled up without forming a separate layer. This process plays a key role in the large-scale adoption of polymer 3D printing.
One of Carbon's key partners is Adidas, which is using the DLS system to mass produce midsoles for its Futurecraft 4D sneakers. As a result of its collaboration with Covestro, Carbo has invested significant amounts of money in the production of commercial-scale resins.
In addition to working with Carbon, Covestro is also researching new materials and developing new industrial-grade, mass-production applications for 3D printing. The company is upgrading its 3D printing capabilities at its Leverkusen, Pittsburgh and Shanghai plants, and is working with multiple partners to develop 3D printing materials such as thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) for laser sintering.