Evonik and HP partnered to develop a high-performance thermoplastic polyamide (TPA) elastomer for 3D printing in HP’s Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) printer. The material is flexible, lightweight, and possesses a very low density. The jointly developed material will be presented at the Formnext conference in November.
“The new TPA is a perfect example of successful collaboration between Evonik and HP—that is, between the materials and the technology aspects of 3D printing—to develop the perfect printing parameters in close conjunction, so as to finally allow a smooth and trouble-free printing process,” says Evonik’s Sylvia Monsheimer.
Another partner company, GoProto, will be using HP’s Jet Fusion 4200 series 3D printers to manufacture a variety of components using the new material. GoProto specializes in the on-demand rapid production of metal and plastic parts utilizing both traditional manufacturing and additive manufacturing processes for aerospace, electronics, energy, industrial, consumer, medical, robotics, and other sectors. GoProto has dubbed its latest process using the new elastomer 3DElastoPrint. The service will produce rubber-like parts that traditional manufacturing methods can’t.
These collaborative partnerships between companies have arisen as a means to accelerate the additive manufacturing industry. One of the challenges to 3D printing increasingly taking the place of traditional manufacturing processes is developing versatile materials. GoProto advertises that 3DElastoPrint will result in lightweight products, have high chemical resistance, isotropic mechanical strength, high abrasion resistance, high tear strength, high energy return, and very low fatigue. Target applications are ducting, sportswear, textures, and more.
“We have had customers make ducts and bellows and footwear, athletic equipment, wearables, and harnesses/connector parts,” said GoProto CEO Jesse Lea. “The combination of production quality material properties like high wear resistance, energy return, longevity, and lightweight continues to impress at every application. We at GoProto are extremely excited about the incredible value this brings to our clients developing new products in a fast-paced and ever-changing environment.”