The Long Term Industrialization Potential of Competing Polymer 3D Printing Processes

By Scott Dunham
Vice President of Research, SmarTech Publishing

Recently, I’ve been talking to a lot of people in the 3D printing industry regarding competing polymer 3D printing processes and their future. During the research process for the latest SmarTech market research study, Additive Manufacturing with Polymers and Plastics 2018, I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with a range of leaders who are invested in moving the 3D printing industry forward –specifically towards a future in manufacturing, and specifically for printers that make things out of plastics and polymers.

One particular conversation was memorable because of how relevant it is to the industry today. An executive at a very respected polymer and plastics company compared the polymer printing industry, with its five widely established and utilized print processes all supported by various companies, to other technology development paths where a choice had to be made by the major supporting companies about which technology to support amongst several which would accomplish similar goals. In cases like the compact disc, or the VHS tape of the past several decades, those choices ultimately ended up determining an industry’s path.

For polymer 3D printing, it’s fairly widely accepted that there are five available options to print a plastic part, and SmarTech defines these using the ASTM technology definition categories –material extrusion, powder bed fusion, vat photopolymerization, material jetting, and binder jetting. When we look to the future, which of the competing polymer 3D printing processes, if any, will remain in the future of plastic printing at a professional level? Perhaps the best way to analyze the question is to look at what is driving the interest in plastic printing today, and then look at how well each process serves this interest.

It should be undeniable, at this point, that the major interest area driving the market is in the use of printing to support manufacturing, and to ultimately engage in direct manufacturing of robust, end-use polymer and thermoplastic parts. Notice that this an interest area –quite different from the bulk of the activity which defines the plastic printing industry today, which is still prototyping. Prototyping will, by all accounts, continue to provide a level of industry baseline business for several years, but it is manufacturing support and direct manufacturing which will quickly become the growth engine of the market (just look at the growth in revenues from Materialise’s manufacturing segment compared to their prototyping segment over the last several quarters.)

Competing Polymer 3D Printing Processes

Source: SmarTech Publishing

Polymer powder bed fusion, mostly characterized by selective laser sintering, is generally considered the most ‘industrial enabled’ plastic 3D printing process there is. This is because the technology can directly create the most all around mechanically robust parts while also being able to support volume production and scalability through efficient use of its building space in all dimensions, without the need to spend time designing support structures in parts. Though the technology is costly, limited in material choice today, and can waste material, there is no doubt that powder bed fusion is, on paper, is one of the most attractive choices for more industrially-oriented utilization. As a result, SmarTech’s latest published market forecasts in powder bed fusion predict this segment will generate the market’s largest share of hardware revenues within the next ten years.

However, don’t let that majority revenue share idea fool you –the actual estimate is that the majority share is only just over 30 percent by 2027, meaning that other print processes will control sizeable portions of the hardware spending over the next decade. Ignoring the industrial potential of print processes like vat photopolymerization and material extrusion, however, would be unwise given the technical developments which are ongoing in these areas.

The takeaway which was impressed upon me from this previously mentioned conversation was one which, ultimately many of us in the industry have arrived at independently. Unlike other tech of the past like the CD, with manufacturing technology, there isn’t a single concrete end goal to arrive at –one user may expect or desire a slightly different outcome from the next. And as a result of this, all of today’s plastic print technologies will continue to play an important role in polymer 3D printing over the long term (and likely even some which aren’t well established yet today).

Placing a bet on a single technology isn’t, of course, a bad idea in a market where there are multiple viable processes. Indeed, when looking at the hardware market for plastic printing today, a lot of the industry has been pushed forward by companies which have specialized in just one print solution. But from the perspective of supporting players, like those who will provide new material development, and ancillary technologies like material handling solutions and automated post processing systems, it’s better to be a position to support all these areas. This has been proven recently with both BASF and DSM –two leaders in 3D printing materials development –having restructured their additive businesses to create specific groups or product lines which focus on different print technologies.

Ultimately, there is industrialization potential across the board for polymer 3D printing, and capitalizing on this potential is the key to success in tomorrow’s industry. Each technology is developing its own unique approaches to creating more industrial appeal. As a current or potential future stakeholder in the industry, don’t overlook this point. Competing polymer 3D printing processes could be one of your biggest opportunities –or your biggest threat.

BASF acquires two manufacturers of 3D printing materials

BASF New Business GmbH (BNB) has acquired all the shares of Advanc3D Materials GmbH in Hamburg and Setup Performance SAS in Lyon. Advanc3D Materials offers advanced, tailor-made plastic powders and formulations for selective laser sintering (SLS) together with process know-how. Setup Performance, which operates a production site in Lyon, is Advanc3D Materials’ most important partner in the development and manufacture of SLS materials. BNB is integrating both companies into its subsidiary BASF 3D Printing Solutions GmbH (B3DPS). The acquisition is an important step forward for BASF in its expansion in the field of 3D printing.

“Following our acquisition of Innofil3D last year and the consequent strengthening of our market presence in plastic filaments for layer extrusion we are now in similar fashion expanding our market access in the area of powder bed fusion. The portfolio complements our existing range, being perfectly suited to products such as polyamide 11, polyamide 12 and polypropylene,” says Dr. Dietmar Bender, Vice President Manufacturing & Technology at BNB. In April, B3DPS introduced a new PA6 material for selective laser sintering that can easily be processed on most SLS machines commonly used in the market today.

Advanc3D Materials is already well established in the market, offering a wide range of products as well as comprehensive market and application expertise. A consistent, finely ground powder, UV stabilizer additions and good free flow are among the elements required to enable the materials to be used in 3D printing. Setup Performance is Advanc3D’s contract manufacturer and development partner. The company’s product & process development and production site in Lyon is noted for its high efficiency and short development cycles for new products.

“We are looking forward to being part of BASF. This will enable us to expand and further develop new formulations for the industrial additive manufacturing activities of our customers all over the world,” explains François Minec, Managing Director of Advanc3D.

“This know-how, the infrastructure and the advanced materials are a perfect complement for us,” says Dietmar Bender. Existing and new customers, especially in the automotive and consumer goods industries, can now benefit from the expanded portfolio of B3DPS. “This acquisition is a further step toward our objective to become a leading supplier of powder-based materials and formulations for industrial 3D printing.”

3D printing is gaining in importance

The production of individually formed plastic parts through additive layer manufacturing by a 3D printing process is becoming increasingly important in the industry. One production method is selective laser sintering (SLS). Using a three-dimensional structural design, a laser draws the shape of an object in a powder such as polyamide. The material hit by the laser melts and the required 3D object is produced layer by layer. Up until now, many complex plastic parts had to be produced by injection molding. The significant advantages of 3D printing include lower costs in small series and much faster production, because no mold is required. Parts manufacturers can thus react much faster to customer requests and meet individual customer requirements much more easily.

PSA’s DS3 Dark Side edition surprises with titanium 3D printed interiors

French automaker giant PSA has been taking 3D printing seriously. The company signed a high profile partnership with Divergent, makers of a unique supercar with a metal 3D printed frame, to study AM for final part production. Now it is following BMW’s steps into mass customization with its new DS3 Dark Side edition.

However, while BMW mass customization focuses on more affordable polymers, the new DS3 Dark side will feature titanium 3D printed interior finishings. Until today only luxury vehicles from Rolls Royce or Bugatti had begun offering titanium 3D printed parts. PSA’s initiative on a mid-level priced cars indicates the market is posied to grow significantly.

DS3 Dark Side

The DS3 Dark Side mixes technology with style, featuring parametric design and titanium 3D printing for the interior opening controls. It even offers 3D printed accessories such as unique keys.

The project approached 3D printing and mass customization as a mean to increase premium branding for the new DS automobile segment within the PSA Group. The actual additive proudction of the parts is the result of a close partnership with Paris-based 3D printing service provider Spartacus 3D – which used EOS systems to 3D print the parts.

ORNL develops sustainable plant-based 3D printing material with superior layer adhesion strength

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory, also known as ORNL, is consistently on the cutting edge of additive manufacturing innovation. In a recent initiative, ORNL researchers have developed plant-based 3D printing materials which not only make use of biofuel byproducts but also demonstrate improved inter-layer adhesion for printed parts.

The material in question is made from a combination of rubber, carbon fiber, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and lignin, which is the key ingredient. Lignin, a key structural material in plant tissues, is also a byproduct of biofuel production processes. In other words, finding a use for the organic polymer could be beneficial to all involved as it would cut back on biofuel byproduct waste, could offer biorefineries an addition form of income and be used to produce better 3D printing plastics.

In terms of printability, the ORNL team says its plant-based material has excellent properties and performance: as lignin naturally adds sturdiness to plant cell walls, the material offers a similar function in the 3D printing material. In fact, when printed, the material has demonstrated 100% improved weld strength between the layers of ABS.

“To achieve this, we are building on our experience with lignin during the last five years,” commented ORNL’s Amit Naskar. “We will continue fine tuning the material’s composition to make it even stronger.”

A study recently published in the journal Applied Materials Today delves into the material’s development further and explains how using melt-stable lignin (sourced from biorefineries) in combination with ABS, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber and carbon fibers resulted in a highly printable material with “100% improved inter-layer adhesion strength.”

plant-based

For example, adding 10 wt.% nitrile rubber helped to toughen the ABS and lignin blend significantly, while adding 10 wt.% of carbon fibers helped to enhance the materials performance and decreased the degree of chemical crosslinking. In terms of lignin content, the researchers say they successfully 3D printed plastic composites with 40 wt.% of lignin.

Down the line, ORNL’s innovative lignin-based 3D printing material could provide a model for producing more plant-based thermoplastics for additive manufacturing and reduce the need for unsustainable petroleum-based thermoplastics.

Kai Parthy’s new GROWLAY filament can 3D print breeding grounds for seeds and spores

If you’re nostalgic for the days of Chia Pets, you might be very excited to learn about filament pioneer Kai Parthy’s latest 3D printing material. Called GROWLAY, the new filament can be printed into various structures and then functions as a breeding ground. Unlike the famous 1980s toy, which could sprout chia sprouts and grass, GROWLAY objects can be used to breed  a wide number of things including grass, moss, fungus, mildew, lichen, mycelium, phama-cultures and mother cells.

Kai Parthy, founder of German-based filament developer Lay Filaments, never disappoints with the borderline experimental materials he creates. He is perhaps best known as the inventor of wood filament, but he has also created a range of innovative 3D printing materials including SOLAY, a rubber-like material; POROLAY, a series of patent-pending porous and felt-like materials; LAYCERAMIC and LAYBRICK; and REFLECT-o-LAY, a glowing, reflective material.

Growlay
Left to right: 3D printed GROWLAY brown cup, mold growth and slow-growing lichen

GROWLAY, the latest addition to his portfolio of additive manufacturing filaments, is one of the most intriguing yet, as it enables users to use printed objects as a sort of base for growing seeds or spores.

This is achieved by the material’s microcapillary properties, which function as tiny cavities that can absorb and store water as well as liquid nutrients or fertilizer. Parthy writes that because the capillary action runs throughout the printed object, it is well suited for storing liquids which can help grow organic materials.

For example, mold can begin to grow through the open-cell capillaries to form a mycelium, grass seeds can “get caught” and grow in the material, spores can germinate in the material’s small cavities, roots can attach themselves to the printed structure and lichens, which normally grow on stone walls or trees, can even begin to form.

Aside from being conducive to growing plants or fungi, GROWLAY boasts a few other properties which are worth mentioning. For one, it can be sterilized with gases or wet treatments (though not thermal treatments), making it suitable for food use or research purposes. It can also be dyed post-printing with safe materials like food colouring, which can be useful for colour differentiation in research.

Parthy has developed two versions of the material: GROWLAY white and GROWLAY brown. The white version is described by the materials developer as a fully compostable, “experimental filament” with open capillaries, well suited for experienced users.

GROWLAY brown, for its part, contains wood particles which act as “food” for promoting the growth of organic cells in the material. The brown version is not compostable and offers some more reliable print properties, including higher tensile strength, better temperature stability and more rigidity. Parthy says it can be printed “as easily as Laywood” and can be used by any level of user.

The innovative indoor farming filament is currently still patent pending.

Local Motors installs massive LSAM composite 3D printer to manufacture autonomous Olli shuttle

Local Motors has completed the installation of the world’s largest composite 3D printer, the Thermwood LSAM, at its Knoxville, TN microfactory. The large-scale machine will be used to produce Local Motors’ autonomous Olli shuttle.

Local Motors has relied on large-scale additive manufacturing systems for quite some time now. In 2016, for instance, the Arizona-based company invested in two BAAM 3D printers by Cincinnati Incorporated. Now, the company seems interested in scaling up its AM capacity even more, as it has installed an LSAM system by Indiana-based company Thermwood Corporation.

Thermwood’s LSAM technology was built specifically for producing large-scale structures and parts using composite materials and an additive approach. The system is part of its line of dual gantry additive manufacturing machines that are capable of printing parts and then trimming them down for precision. The machines are also scalable and can reach up to 100 feet in length.

The LSAM system recently installed at Local Motors’ facility spans 10 feet by 40 feet (approximately 3.05 x 12 meters) and will be used to print production parts for the company’s innovative Olli vehicle, an autonomous 3D printed shuttle bus that has created a fair amount of buzz in both the AM and automotive sectors since its unveiling in 2016.

“LSAM is intended for industrial production,” writes Thermwood on its blog. “It is not a lab, evaluation or demonstration machine, but is instead a full-fledged industrial additive manufacturing system intended for the production of large scale components.”

Earlier this month, Local Motors announced the founding of a new company, LM Industries Group, Inc., a technology-enabled manufacturer that is being heralded as the “the world’s first digital OEM.” The company also announced that it had successfully secured over $1 billion in third-party operational support and vehicle financing for clients of its Olli vehicle.

(Photos: Thermwood Corporation)

Douglas Coupland’s 3D printed portraits take center stage on Canada Day

Coinciding with this year’s Canada Day weekend, Canadian artist Douglas Coupland has unveiled his newest and arguably most ambitious project to date. Called The National Portrait, the large-scale artwork consists of hundreds of 3D printed portraits based on real Canadian people.

The installation, which is being exhibited at the Ottawa Art Gallery until the 19th of August, has been in the works for some time as Coupland partnered with Canadian retail chain Simons in 2015 to invite people to participate in the project by having their heads 3D scanned. After touring various Canadian cities, including Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Halifax, Calgary and more, Coupland has presented The National Portrait, the final phase of his crowd-sourced 3DCanada project.

Speaking to Simons, Coupland explains how the idea for the 3D printed portraits was born from his belief that the accessibility of 3D printing technologies will change the landscape for portraiture and sculpture.

Coupland

The expansive piece itself comprises of 1,000 heads, all brightly coloured and arranged in an intriguing way. That is, not every head is 3D printed in the same way, some have been distorted slightly, which adds dynamism to the piece. The 3D printed heads do have one thing in common: they are all facing the same direction, looking to the future.

On a more technical note, Coupland required a fleet of 15 3D printers to realize the ambitious project and used roughly 70 km of biodegradable plastic filament to make each portrait. After 1,700 heads were scanned on the 3DCanada cross-country tour, it reportedly took 11 months to 3D print the 1,000 pieces that are featured in the installation.

“The National Portrait is much more than a Simons project,” commented Peter Simons, president of the retail chain that commissioned the project. “As we traveled from city to city, it quickly became a national piece of art using technology that people were fascinated to experience as they watched their own 3D portraits being printed. Unveiling The National Portrait in the nation’s capital is quite fitting.”

As mentioned, the 3D printed installation by Coupland will be on display until August 19th at the Ottawa Art Gallery in Canada’s capital city.

3dpbm partners with SmarTech Publishing to provide broader AM market data insights  

Marking yet another step in its recent growth and expansion across the AM industry landscape, London-based 3dpbm is partnering with SmarTech Publishing, selecting the US-based market research firm as its exclusive provider of AM industry data. As per the agreement, 3dpbm will also provide AM industry-wide communication support for SmarTech’s publications and reports. The Smartech Publishing-3dpbm alliance will serve to provide more complete and widely accessible information on the latest evolutionary trends in the AM market.

SmarTech Publishing is a leading provider of vertical- and materials-specific market data, analyses and forecasts for the AM industry. The company, founded by Lawrence Gasman, has built the most extensive database for AM hardware, materials, software and part sales in every major AM vertical segment. Leveraging its unique network of industry contacts, it is able to provide the most up-to-date and accurate information on the latest market trends. Over the years it has published reports on all the important revenue opportunities in the 3D printing sector including aerospace, automotive, industrial automation, 3D printing materials, medical/dental markets and other promising 3D market segments.

smartech publishing 3dpbm

Through its network of online editorial properties and partners, 3dpbm is emerging as a leading reference for day-to-day product and company news, opinions and reportages from the global 3D printing landscape. 3dpbm’s own database of AM companies is today the largest global index of companies that operate within the additive manufacturing industry. The company also stands out as a specialized communication agency for the AM industry, having expanded its product offering to include a wide range of communication services through all media platforms, ranging from social media campaigns to video production, webinars and events.

“We are excited about the possibilities of working with 3dpbm to further expand our reach into the global 3D printing market” says SmarTech Founder and President, Lawrence Gasman. “We see this relationship as a key means of supporting our firm’s brand and as a platform for us to share our market data and analysis.”

smartech publishing 3dpbm

With this partnership, SmarTech will become 3dpbm’s exclusive provider of market data and information for AM industry verticals. 3dpbm will provide communication and PR services as well as extensive editorial coverage for SmarTech’s publications through all its communication channels, including proprietary websites (3D Printing Media Network, Replicatore, Replicador) social media, editorial and media partnerships, newsletters, direct mailings to its community of AM professionals and more.

“SmarTech data will enable our team to offer even more accurate analyses of the market since most of the time when you really want to understand why things are happening, you just follow the money,” says 3dpbm Co-founder and CEO Davide Sher. “Our combined objective is to provide long-term research and forecasts along with quick and accurate daily news, in order to offer the most complete view of the AM market, every day.”

EOS and Additive Works to advance Amphyon simulation software for metal AM

AM leader EOS has announced it will be partnering with German startup Additive Works to advance the metal additive manufacturing process through the further development of  Amphyon, Additive Works’ simulation-based pre-processing software for AM. The software solution is capable of virtually simulating the AM build process and identifying potential problem areas in a part’s design before going to printing, saving users both time and production costs.

Simulation software is becoming a key ingredient in the additive manufacturing process, as it enables users to predict if a 3D model is optimized for 3D printing or will encounter problems, such as surface defects or structural compromise, when printed.

“Although AM technology itself is very mature, especially for unexperienced users it can be difficult to predict if a part will be 3D printed as expected,” explained Dr. Nils Keller, CEO of Additive Works. “So when a part is manufactured with issues…it means a waste of machine time and material costs. An answer to this challenge is Amphyon.”

“Using simulation software is standard when it comes to conventional manufacturing methods,” he added. “With Amphyon, simulation now also becomes a solution for additive manufacturing, underlining the increased use and changing requirements of industrial 3D printing for serial production.”

Amphyon

Through its partnership with Additive Works, EOS will offer its Amphyon software solution to its clients and will work alongside Additive Works in further enhancing the platform’s support for EOS’ portfolio of metal materials, processes and systems. Ultimately, the goal for the two companies is to integrate Amphyon’s assessment, simulation and support modules into EOS’ job and process management sofware, EOSPRINT 2.

“While the vast majority of the public thinks that additive manufacturing allows for the creation of three dimensional objects from a digital design by just clicking a button, users of the technology know that the reality is more complex,” said Martin Steuer, Head of Product Management Software and Services at EOS. “United by the mission to make Industrial 3D printing even more intuitive and user friendly, EOS is happy to partner with Additive Works on the subject of AM-process-simulation. ‘Simulate before you create’ really is a key factor to ensure a successful laser sintering process with metal materials, right from the start.”

Additive Works’ Amphyon software solution is based on what the company calls the “ASAP principle,” which includes steps related to Assessment, Simulation, Adaption and Process. The workflow, designed for Direct Metal Laser Sintering technologies, offers automated print predictions and assessments, optimization support and process simulation.

The first step in Amphyon’s AM simulation process is the assessment stage, which entails an evaluation of a given part’s geometry and an analysis of all possible build-up orientations. In this step, the software takes several factors into account including build time, support volume, post processing efforts and part deformation. A detailed and automated analysis of all these elements allows the software to automatically identify the most optimal orientation for printing the part.

Amphyon

The simulation stage, for its part, comes in two modules: the Support module (in beta testing) and the Mechanical Process Simulation (MPS) module. The support module enables users to optimize and automatically generate support structures. Notably, the process also adapts the support perforation and the interfaces between part and support based on defined process loads. This, says Additive Works, helps to cut back on the support material used without sacrificing (and even improving) process stability.

The MPS module provides efficient and intuitive tools for simulating process mechanics and calculating distortions. This module also compensates for these distortions by exporting and building a “pre-deformed” STL file.

Presently, Additive Works’ simulation platform integrates profiles for key EOS metal materials, though the companies hope to expand this integration by adding support for all of EOS’ metal portfolio.

3D Printed AI Robotic Head Named CIMON “Heads” to ISS

CIMON (Crew Interactive MObile CompanioN), the AI-based assistant for astronauts for the DLR Space Administration, developed by Airbus in cooperation with IBM, took off last Friday aboard SpaceX‘s Dragon cargo capsule and is scheduled to arrive today (June 2nd). Like many unique robots, the technology demonstrator was built using metal and plastic 3D printing processes. It is the size of a medicine ball and weighs around 5 kg. It will be tested on the ISS by Alexander Gerst during the European Space Agency’s Horizons mission scheduled to last through October 2018.

“CIMON will be the first AI-based mission and flight assistance system. We are the first company in Europe to carry a free flyer, a kind of flying brain, to the ISS and to develop artificial intelligence for the crew on board the space station,” said Manfred Jaumann, Head of Microgravity Payloads from Airbus. Pioneering work was also being done in the area of manufacturing, Jaumann continued, with the entire structure of CIMON, which is made up of plastic and metal, created using 3D printing.

CIMON is designed to support astronauts in performing routine work, for example by displaying procedures or – thanks to its ‘neural’ AI network and its ability to learn – offering solutions to problems. It uses Watson AI technology from the IBM cloud and, with its face, voice and artificial intelligence become a genuine ‘colleague’ on board.

With CIMON, crew members can do more than just work through a schematic view of prescribed checklists and procedures; they can also engage with their assistant. In this way, CIMON makes work easier for the astronauts when carrying out everyday routine tasks, helps to increase efficiency, facilitates mission success and improves security, as it can also serve as an early warning system for technical problems.

CIMON

Airbus initially examined the concept for the assistance system as part of a self-financed study. Then, in August 2016, the Bonn-based DLR Space Administration commissioned Airbus’ aerospace experts to carry out the project. Since then, a 50-strong project team comprising members from Airbus, DLR, IBM and the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich (LMU) has been working to ensure that CIMON takes shape and is brought to life: the system is learning to orientate itself and move around, it accumulates knowledge with the help of Watson AI technology and is training to recognise its human partners.

Amongst other things, the Watson AI was trained using voice samples and photos of Alexander Gerst, and procedures and plans of the Columbus module of the International Space Station were loaded into the database. Alexander Gerst also had a say in the selection of CIMON’s screen face and computer voice so that he, too, could ‘make friends’ with his electronic colleague.

Once the functional testing of the system has been completed, Gerst will work in Space with CIMON a total of three times: They will experiment with crystals, work together to solve the Rubik’s cube and perform a complex medical experiment using CIMON as an ‘intelligent’ flying camera.

In its first Space mission, CIMON will only be equipped with a selected range of capabilities. In the medium term, aerospace researchers also plan to use the CIMON project to examine group effects that can develop over a long period of time in small teams and that may arise during long-term missions to the Moon or Mars. Social interaction between people and machines, between astronauts and assistance systems equipped with emotional intelligence, could play an important role in the success of long-term missions. Airbus’ developers are convinced that, here on Earth, developments of the assistance system could also find future use in hospitals and social care.

CIMON will get its first ‘taste of space’ as early as March 2018: the 31st DLR parabolic flight campaign will focus in particular on testing and optimizing GNC algorithms (Guidance, Navigation and Control) under zero-G conditions.