HP has announced the ‘first of its kind’ polypropylene (PP) material for additive manufacturing. The new HP 3-D High Reusability PP — developed in partnership with BASF — is a versatile, durable and chemically resistant material that has been qualified for HP’s production-grade 3-D printing systems; it can be used by customers in the automotive, consumer, industrial and medical sectors.

Polypropylene is a versatile material that is ideal for a wide range of applications. The new HP 3D High Reusability PP offers customers the same properties as commonly used PPs in injection moulding. With its excellent chemical resistance, low moisture absorption and long-term durability, PP can be used for piping, fluid systems and containers.

Developed for HP’s Jet Fusion 5200 3D series machines, the new PP delivers high productivity, while minimising waste for industrial-level manufacturing. Moreover, it helps to reduce waste by enabling up to 100% of surplus powder to be reused.

HP is jointly developing entirely new PP applications with partners, part providers and customers. These include: Extol (which specialises in plastics engineering); GKN Powder Metallurgy/Forecast 3D (a provider of industrial 3-D printing, short-run manufacturing and high-volume production); Henkel (a leader of high-impact adhesives and engineering solutions); Oechsler (a leading provider of additive-manufacturing parts); and part manufacturer Prototal.