All across the 3D printing material market, a number of companies have answered the call to develop filaments out of recycled materials, making the 3D printing experience a bit more eco-friendly. From PLA to PET, a number of recycled filament options are currently available on the market, but none quite like what one Munich-based startup, called Additive Elements, has to offer the industrial-grade additive manufacturing world. The company specializes in material development for industrial 3D printers, working with clients to develop optimized materials for binder jetting printing technologies. Now, they’ve just announced the development of a fully ecological material system, giving the industrial sector an opportunity to move into more environmentally friendly manufacturing methods.
“It has always been a dream of mine to develop an ecological impeccable material system which is also harmless to health. After eleven months of research and development we succeeded,” said Johannes Günther, head of R&D at Additive Elements. “We are proud to make a contribution to our environment and change the way of additive manufacturing.”
According to Additive Elements, their newly developed material system has quite a few advantages over other 3D printing processes. For instance, the system includes a powder material that is 100% recyclable, while all printed products can be safely disposed of. The binder jetting 3D printing process supported by Additive Elements allows for large-scale printing capabilities of parts measuring up to four meters, making it an ideal technology for a number of commercial applications.
“We want to address clients, who don’t have a lot experience in the 3D printing sector, like architects shop fitters, interior designers and many more,” said Elucidates Thilo Kramer, the founder of Additive Elements. “Therefore it is necessary to provide an all-round-service.”
Additive Elements’ material system will be released later this year, in the meantime, the team is still working on optimizing their ecological powder material for larger 3D printers. The team is also working with their partners, Trindo and DyeMansion, to develop different surface finishing options that are engineered for specific applications. What makes Additive Elements different from other environmentally conscious filament producers is their focus on working with their clients. They’re targeting companies and manufacturers who have yet to dip their toes into the world of 3D printing technology, and working with them one step at a time to showcase the possibilities and limitations of adapting ecologically-sound additive manufacturing techniques into their operations.
Any idea how this will compare with the starch-based powdered material that (former) ZCorp used in the 90s and discontinued before its purchase by 3DSystems? Parts made from that material, as long as they were not impregnated with super glue, could be dissolved down the drain and were non-toxic. I realize they were not very strong, and I imagine the hope is that this new material will have strength, perhaps right out of the system without post-processing.