The German specialty chemicals company
Evonik and the Australian 3-D printer manufacturer
Asiga are strengthening their collaboration in photopolymer-based 3-D printing. Both companies say their aim is to ‘drive forward 3-D printing large-scale industrial manufacturing’ by extending the current capabilities of photo-curing technologies.
Evonik is contributing its expertise in development and manufacturing of ready-to-use photopolymer materials, while Asiga is bringing the capabilities of its DLP (digital light processing) 3-D printers with their ‘open material architecture’ to the joint effort.
Rainer Hahn, head of Evonik’s photopolymer market segment, said: “The cooperation with Asiga, once again, confirms the growth approach we are focusing on with our new product line of Infinam photopolymer resins launched last year. We are sending an important signal to our customers who will now benefit from an even broader access to our high-performance materials with excellent processability properties on Asiga’s DLP 3-D printers, thereby enabling them to explore new applications.”
Asiga launched the world’s first LED-based DLP 3-D printer in 2011. Today the company continues to focus on a range of process-monitoring technologies that control part accuracy and production stability across many industries, including medical and general manufacturing. Asiga’s product line covers a broad range from desktop 3-D printers such as the MAX series to large-format floor-standing units such as the PRO 4K.
Graham Turner, Asiga’s ‘Global Operations’ manager, said: “As we continue to strengthen our open material architecture, we are delighted to provide our customers access to Evonik’s new range of Infinam photopolymers. Combining the latest material developments in additive polymer science from Evonik with our industrial grade 3-D printing hardware creates robust additive manufacturing solutions with endless possibilities.”
Last year, Evonik introduced the first ready-to-use formulations of its new photopolymers product line for industrial 3-D printing applications. Infinam TI 3100 L results in high-toughness impact-resistant 3-D parts that can withstand strong impact or permanent mechanical effects such as pressing or impact, while Infinam ST 6100 L is a high-strength polymer resin that combines a tensile strength of 89MPa with a flexural strength of 145MPa and an HDT (heat deflection temperature) of 120°C — thus filling the material gap in ultra-high strength photopolymers.
Meanwhile, Infinam RG 3101 L combines ‘excellent impact resistance with high-temperature resistance while exhibiting long-lasting thermomechanical performance’.