DSM-led partnership to develop flexible 3D solutions

Geleen, The Netherlands – Dutch chemicals company Royal DSM has announced a new partnership with Chromatic 3D Materials and printer manufacturer German RepRap (GRR) to offer "high-performance, flexible printed parts" based on Chromatic's line of polyurethane (PU) materials.
 
The partnership aims to remove the existing barriers in the way of 3D printing with PU and similar materials, DSM said in a statement.
 
As part of the collaboration, GRR will make its printing equipment accessible to manufacturers that use Chromatic's recently launched FlexTune line of flexible PU elastomer materials.
 
DSM will contribute its “knowledge of additive manufacturing materials, markets and applications,” to offer "a complete solution" to manufacturers in a broad range of industries.
 
Examples of specific applications include noise-reducing buffers and mechanical clutches for power transmissions in cars, and gaskets used in train braking systems.
 
Chromatic's materials have also been used in the footwear industry for personalised insoles, according to the DSM statement.
 
The partnership will aim to remove barriers in the way of the adoption of flexible materials, said Hugo da Silva, VP Additive Manufacturing at DSM.
 
The trio, he said, can “unlock the full potential of additive manufacturing and scale 3D printing to industrial production levels."
 
DSM and Chromatic teamed up in April last year to introduce and explore the use of thermoset materials for 3D printed parts.
 
The collaboration, according to Florian Bautz, CEO at German RepRap, enabled processors to manufacture thermoset material parts that are “difficult or impossible” to produce by injection moulding, while offering the same mechanical properties as injection-moulded parts.
 
In this new partnership, the companies are expanding their collaboration to market Chromatic's line of FlexTune materials.