Essentium Materials reveals world’s first 3D printer with breakthrough thermal welding technology at RAPID 2016, the largest additive manufacturing (3D Printing) conference.
The Essentium EM1 industrial printer is poised to revolutionize additive manufacturing by solving the Z-direction strength issue. The EM1 combines breakthroughs in thermoplastic polymer 3D printing through its proprietary military grade electric field technology and carbon nanotube-coated filament, the company’s FuseTM Filament, which together more than doubles the interlayer strength of a traditional 3D printed component. Essentium’s technology is so advanced the firm was awarded the coveted SME Innovation Award as having the greatest potential for transforming the additive manufacturing industry.
“Before co-founding Essentium Materials in 2013, I was a Designer working in commercial manufacturing. I sought to deploy existing 3D printing technologies to do more for me than simply communicate design intent,” said Blake Teipel, President and CTO at Essentium Materials. “Now, Essentium’s Fuse Filaments, in particular our carbon- infused offerings, provide Designers everywhere with options for components that can match injection-molding. These next-generation materials options allow design-for- additive [manufacturing] to take a dramatic step forward in the industrial landscape.”
During the conference, Essentium Engineer and co-inventor, Brandon Sweeney presented the technical talk “Principle Build Parameters Dictating Mechanical Properties of Thermoplastic 3D Printed Parts.” He discussed the essential properties to be reported in a Technical Data Sheet for a ME feedstock, proposed four principle build directions necessary for testing the mechanical properties of material extrusion (ME) printed parts, and identified time-dependent environmental conditions that affect the aging of ME parts.
Essentium Materials is focused on developing materials and production capabilities to provide the industrial customer with solutions for highly demanding, direct- manufacturing applications.
About Essentium Materials
Since its inception in 2013, Essentium Materials has conducted $2M in funded research for industrial companies and has been a recipient of multiple SBIR awards from the National Science Foundation. Currently, Essentium is commercializing the world’s first energy-responsive filament for Material Extrusion 3D printing, and developing revolutionary in-situ polymer welding capabilities. This technology provides dramatic improvements in space, weight, and power requirements for automotive, aerospace, military vehicles, wearables and human-interacting components, and many battlefield device applications.
