French chemical and materials company Arkema is expanding its production of 3D printable resins at its subsidiary Sartomer’s Nansha facility in China.
Arkema will increase total production at the facility by 30% to meet growing customer demands in the electronics, 3D-printing and inkjet printing markets.
Resin production
Arkema will construct a new production line at the Nansha facility for UV, LED and EB (Electron Beam) photocure resins. According to Arkema, the production facilities will focus upon resins with innovative properties especially for the electronics industry and 3D printing market.
The resins will be used in the manufacture of printed circuit boards and television, smartphone and tablet screens. As well as for the 3D printing market, for which Sartomer just launched its designated brand – N3xtDimension.
Arkema, which is headquartered in the Parisian suburb of Colombes, has also recently scaled up its PEEK production at a facility in the U.S. Oxford Performance Materials, also an Arkema company, is 3D printing PEEK to create parts for Boeing’s Starliner.
N3xtDimension
According to Arkema, the resins are solvent-free and environmentally friendly, in order to be in line with global standards on volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. Sartomer currently offers two resins in the N3xtDimension line, PRO21904 and PRO21905. The former is intended for prototyping, while the latter is a more functional, impact resistance material.
Expanding production is part of Arkema’s ambitions to expand sales of advanced materials which it expects to eventually account for 25% of the company’s total revenue.
Arkema has also addressed the 3D printing market by becoming a material partner with HP as it launched its Multi Jet Fusion technology.
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Featured image shows Arkema’s headquarters in Colombes, France. Image via Arkema.
