Arkema, a French chemical and materials company, has launched a commercial online platform offering high-performance materials for additive manufacturing.
The new platform, 3D Printing Solutions by Arkema, will equip customers, partners and equipment manufacturers with industrial grade additive manufacturing materials including its latest range of N3xtDimension resins.
“Industry today needs flexibility, freedom of design, and product customization,” said Thierry Le Hénaff, Chairman and CEO of Arkema. “With this commercial platform, Arkema will facilitate open communication and innovation across many product offerings and services, and will be in a position to support 3D printing market players as new applications are developed.”
Arkema accelerates industrial additive manufacturing
With over a decade of experience, Arkema has developed innovative materials for various additive manufacturing processes. Rilsan, Arkema’s range of biosourced thermoplastic powders, demonstrates high abrasion resistance, toughness and impact resistance, chemical and corrosion resistance, and weather resistance, for coating applications.
Kepstan, Arkema’s PEKK polymers brands, offers materials for the photocuring, powder bed fusion, and filament extrusion processes. When reinforced with carbon fibers, Kepstan PEKK is as rigid as some metals, though more lightweight. In addition, it is easily shaped above its melting point (300°C to 360°C) and offers exceptional resistance to extreme environments which makes it suitable for end-use components within the aerospace and oil exploration industries.
These flagship brands, as well as N3XTDimension, a range of engineered resins for UV-curable additive manufacturing, are included on Arkema’s new commercial platform and aim to accelerate and support the 3D printing sector worldwide. 3D Printing Solutions by Arkema also offers technical services which help supply its customers with the most suitable materials.
“3D Printing solutions by Arkema will boost the Group’s positioning in this market and will help us, together with our partners, develop 3D printing into an industrial manufacturing technology,” said Guillaume de Crevoisier, Global Business Director for 3D Printing solutions by Arkema.
Arkema invests in additive manufacturing materials
Demonstrating its interest in developing additive manufacturing materials, earlier this year, Arkema established a center of excellence dedicated to the development of UV-curable resins in Exton, Pennsylvania. This has added to Arkema’s existing research facilities which include a center for filament extrusion technologies in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and its chemical plant for powder sintering technologies in Serquigny, France.
Prior to this, Arkema announced plans to expand its global specialty polyamides powder production capacities at its French Pyrenees facilities by 50%, through an investment of €20 million.
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Featured image shows 3D printed parts created from Rilsan. Photo via Arkema.
