3D Printing

A.Schulman & Prodways partner to make new SLS materials

Ohio based A. Shulman, international suppliers of plastics and resins, and the Parisian company Prodways, 3D printing specialist subsidiary of Groupe Gorgé, have announced a partnership to focus on the creation of new materials for selective laser sintering (SLS). As Alban D’Halluin, Prodways Technology CEO explains, “A. Schulman’s broad understanding of plastics, special technical and manufacturing expertise, and deep experience with all powder additives and modifiers helps optimize the performance, appearance and processability of polymers to meet the most demanding application requirements.”

A. Schulman's golf club technology Photo via: aschulman.com
A. Schulman’s golf club technology Photo via: aschulman.com

The partnership will draw on the experience within both companies’ R&D departments and market expertise in an effort to get to the cutting edge of SLS. It will see A. Shulman’s specialist knowledge of engineered plastic compounds, composites, color concentrates and additives of their proprietary ESC® materials, combined with Prodways’ high performance 3D printers, such as the ProMaker P1000 – which sinters plastic powders and is on the market for less than $100,000.

Plastic parts printed by the Prodways ProMaker P1000 printer
Plastic parts printed by the Prodways ProMaker P1000 printer Photo via: 3D Printing Business Directory

As the latest move from the Groupe Gorgé subsidiary, the partnership appears to be an attempt to find a solution to the group’s recent market struggles, and iron-out the financial discrepancies from Prodways revealed in Group Gorgé’s statements released for the first 6 months of 2016. Though a little late to the game, the partnership between the two companies seems promising. D’Halluin of Prdways went on to add:

By partnering with A. Schulman, Prodways will access state-of-the-art compounding know-how to develop materials which are economical, reliable and whose mechanical properties are not yet reachable with 3D printing.

There will be more to see from A. Shulman and Prodways later this month at Formnext, Frankfurt, from the 15th to the 18th November. As 3DPI previously reported, Prodways will be showing its SLS ProMaker P1000 printer at the show, and 3DPI will be there to get the latest coverage from them. Be sure to sign up to our newsletter here for upcoming Formnext updates.

Featured image is via Prodways on Twitter.