Emerging Top 10 3D Printing Resins to Watch!

3D printing or Additive Manufacturing (AM) is growing rapidly in a finished manufactured plastics part sense and so are its equipment suppliers, having expanded from nearly 50 to 100 over the last three years.

This technology is allowing plastic raw material suppliers who are increasing their focus here, the potential of a novel market development route into traditional end uses.

So, let's explore some top emerging innovations in 3D printing, like:

• Developments in filament resins (PPE, PEI, PC, PA6, PA66, PA1010, PA612…)
• Innovative thermoplastic elastomer, PTFE, silicones...
• Special polymer used in printing boat hull & more!

And here we begin...

Sabic's 3D Printing Resins (ABS, PPE, PC, PEI & TPI)

Sabic has developed four amorphous resin based 3D printing large format additive manufacturing compounds in the intermediate (ABS), engineering plastic (PC), and high-performance (PEI, TPI) ranges namely:

	Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS): It has low warpage and adequate 3D printing surface quality for thermoforming / pressure forming tooling and consumer durable applications.
	PolyCarbonate (PC): It has higher stiffness, better impact resistance, higher temperature resistance and higher processing output versus ABS, in addition to excellent ductility and a smooth surface finish.
	PolyEtherImide (PEI): It has high stiffness, superior mechanical strength, low thermal expansion/creep, natural flame retardance, and highest amorphous temperature resistance.
	Thermoplastic PolyImide (TPI) : It has heat resistance exceeding that of PEI.

3D Printed Boat Hull Cross-Section: Sabic’s PEI Used in Inner Structure (L-Black) and Cross-section (R-Beige)

DuPont's Engineered Plastics & Elastomer Filaments

DuPont is developing high performance, crystalline, intermediate (Ionomer), engineering plastic (Nylon), and engineering elastomer (PBT thermoplastic polyester). Each of them provides different functionalities for 3D printing. These 3D printing plastic filaments features are as follows:

	Surlyn Ionomer: It is a copolymer of ethylene and methacrylic acid. It has clarity, impact toughness, excellent chemical resistance, and superior abrasion-resistance.
	Zytel Nylon or Polyamide (PA; PA6, PA66, PA1010 and PA612): It has outstanding heat resistance accompanied by chemical- and hydrolysis resistance.
	Hytrel thermoplastic polyester (Polybutylene Terephthalate, PBT) elastomer: It has the flexibility of rubber harnessed to thermoplastic strength and processability.

The expansion of these advanced materials into 3D printing will enable manufacturers to attain the major advantages of 3D printing, like:

• Broad design freedom
• Light weighting, and
• Reduced product development cycles

These in turn allow for rapid prototyping, part production and mass customization.

DuPont 3D Printed Ionomer Cosmetic Container (L) and Bracelets (R)

CRP Technology's Windform RL TPE

CRP Technology has commercialized a new Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) material within its core Windform 3D printing plastics family as follows:

Windform RL is a durable Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) that has unique, soft rubber like, elastomer physical property characteristics:

Very good tear resistance Good chemical resistance Good bending strength to break resistance Very good sealing/barrier in place capability Broad range of colorability Adaptable to complex 3D part geometries Shore A hardness of 45-80 Adhesive joining capability
	CRP Technology 3D Printed TPE Motorsport Soft Seat

3M's Dyneon Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)

3M has developed a patentable 3D printing technology for its Dyneon brand fluoropolymer as follows:

3M Dyneon Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) with its superior high temperature resistance and a very low friction property has outlined the following advantages:

Adaptable to complex shape geometries 3D printing’s one step processing eliminates secondary PTFE assembly Environmentally friendly waste reducing manufacturing Cost reduction with less material used in 3D printing Faster PTFE part design cycles No need for new molding tools Custom designs and spare parts digitally manufactured
	3M Complex 3D Printed PTFE Helix Structure

Henkel’s 3D Printed Silicone Adhesive

Henkel Adhesive Technologies has joined the HP Multi Jet Fusion Open Materials and Applications Platform to further develop its silicone adhesives in 3D printing as follows:

Henkel’s 3D printing range encompasses acrylic, silicone, epoxy, and polyurethane adhesives, sealants and coatings, and will be targeted in the following ways:

• Specialty, small part, medical, electronic and transportation applications
• Polyamide synthesis / formulation by Henkel will be adapted to HP’s 3D printing equipment
• Novel Henkel 3D printable hot melt adhesives under development
• Consolidation of parts approach with 3D printable adhesives for building and furniture components
• Engineered thermal and light cure adhesives very adaptable to tailored 3D printing layer coating techniques

3D Printing Professionals - Stay Alert!

Join the course - 3D Printing Resins: Latest Development Opportunities to stay updated with the current trends and innovations in 3D printing market.