3D Systems & EMS-GRILTECH Enter Strategic Partnership to Advance Materials Innovation
June 28 2022 - 4:15PM
Today, 3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) and EMS-GRILTECH (SIX:EMSN) announced
they have entered into a strategic partnership to enhance additive
manufacturing materials development. Combining 3D Systems’
expertise and leadership as an additive manufacturing solutions
partner with EMS-GRILTECH’s (a Business Unit of EMS Group)
expertise in the specialized manufacturing of polyamides has
enabled the companies to introduce a novel nylon copolymer –
DuraForm® PAx Natural. This material possesses properties similar
to injection molded plastics and features high impact resistance
with high elongation at break in any direction. DuraForm PAx
Natural is designed to be used with any commercially-available
selective laser sintering (SLS) printer, regardless of the
manufacturer – facilitating ease of integration into existing
production workflows.
3D Systems is the exclusive distributor of this material which
can be used to manufacture tough, lightweight, production-grade
parts for applications such as orthotics, tooling handles, splints,
and braces, ducting in rugged environments, living hinges, liquid
reservoirs, and enclosures requiring high impact and high
toughness. DuraForm PAx Natural is designed to print at a low
temperature (i.e., 120°C) which facilitates efficiencies in both
printing and post-processing. When compared to other nylon
materials (i.e., PA-11 and PA-12), DuraForm PAx Natural enables
significantly reduced time to parts-in-hand which not only helps
service bureaus and manufacturers maintain their competitiveness
but also helps accelerate supply chains. The low printing
temperature of this material enables high throughput, and its
designation as a clean running material results in low operator
maintenance. With the lower printing temperature, parts can be
ready to ship the day after an order is received. Similar
PA12-based parts will need another day before a part is ready to be
shipped.
DuraForm PAx Natural possesses very impressive long-term
stability ratings of over five years indoor for mechanical
properties and color. When parts are post-processed using
vapor-honing, finished parts have excellent translucency and smooth
finish which enhances the breadth of applications for which this
material can be used. In addition, the vapor-honed DuraForm PAx
Natural material moves the elongation at yield capability past that
of PA-11 and PA-12 materials. This material also has high reuse
rates (a 30% refresh rate is recommended) which helps reduce waste
and decrease production costs.
“We’re very excited to be able to collaborate with EMS-GRILTECH
in a way that allows us to not only advance our innovation roadmap
but also advance materials performance for the industry,” said Dr.
Edwin Hortelano, senior vice president, materials engineering &
development, 3D Systems. “With DuraForm PAx Natural, we’re not only
bringing a superior product with leading mechanical properties,
we’re also delivering a new material for use with any SLS printing
technology, which we intend to expand to other powder-bed fusion
platforms. This is our first step in opening 3D Systems’ materials
portfolio to the entire industry which allows a broader pool of
manufacturers to realize the benefits of this unmatched material.
We look forward to introducing more PAx-based materials among
others in the future.”
Simon Maier, head of sales and marketing at EMS-GRILTECH, said,
"The EMS Group is an established worldwide leader in
high-performance polymers for injection molding and powder-based
applications. EMS-GRILTECH has observed the powder bed fusion (PBF)
additive manufacturing industry with keen interest over the last
years, realizing that the technology is limited by the performance
of the available materials. Thus, together with 3D Systems, we
decided to use our expertise to develop materials that exhibit
excellent performance in PBF systems and at the same time show
technical properties that match those of injection molding.
EMS-GRILTECH is excited about the capabilities of DuraForm PAx
Natural and we're looking forward to creating added value for the
additive manufacturing industry with further material novelties in
the future."
While just recently introduced, DuraForm PAx Natural is already
receiving positive feedback from end-users. “DuraForm PAx Natural
fundamentally disrupts the SLS technology cost structure as well as
enables us to profitably produce parts that were previously
difficult to justify using a powder material,” said Mike Littrell,
president, CIDEAS Inc (buildparts.com). “This innovative material
offers polypropylene-like mechanical properties, has high
elongation, high impact, and offers a high recycle rate. We
have a customer that frequently orders large, one-off unique parts
that were not ideally suited for a powder process. DuraForm PAx
Natural is the perfect material to use for this type of application
and build size while being capable of producing a beautifully
finished product.”
Forward-Looking StatementsCertain statements
made in this release that are not statements of historical or
current facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results,
performance or achievements of the company to be materially
different from historical results or from any future results or
projections expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements. In many cases, forward-looking statements can be
identified by terms such as "believes," "belief," "expects," "may,"
"will," "estimates," "intends," "anticipates" or "plans" or the
negative of these terms or other comparable terminology.
Forward-looking statements are based upon management’s beliefs,
assumptions, and current expectations and may include comments as
to the company’s beliefs and expectations as to future events and
trends affecting its business and are necessarily subject to
uncertainties, many of which are outside the control of the
company. The factors described under the headings "Forward-Looking
Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the company’s periodic filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as other
factors, could cause actual results to differ materially from those
reflected or predicted in forward-looking statements. Although
management believes that the expectations reflected in the
forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking
statements are not, and should not be relied upon as a guarantee of
future performance or results, nor will they necessarily prove to
be accurate indications of the times at which such performance or
results will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included
are made only as of the date of the statement. 3D Systems and EMS
Group undertake no obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements made by management or on its behalf,
whether as a result of future developments, subsequent events or
circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law.
About 3D Systems More than 30 years ago, 3D
Systems brought the innovation of 3D printing to the manufacturing
industry. Today, as the leading additive manufacturing solutions
partner, we bring innovation, performance, and reliability to every
interaction - empowering our customers to create products and
business models never before possible. Thanks to our unique
offering of hardware, software, materials, and services, each
application-specific solution is powered by the expertise of our
application engineers who collaborate with customers to transform
how they deliver their products and services. 3D Systems’ solutions
address a variety of advanced applications in healthcare and
industrial markets such as medical and dental, aerospace &
defense, automotive, and durable goods. More information on the
company is available at www.3dsystems.com.
About EMS-GRILTECHThe EMS
Group, into which the Business Unit EMS-GRILTECH is incorporated,
is an independent Swiss corporation with worldwide activities in
the business areas High Performance Polymers and Specialty
Chemicals. In the High Performance sector we develop, manufacture
and market high-performance engineering plastics for demanding
technical applications. In the field of Specialty Chemicals, we
concentrate on high-quality additives, thermoplastic adhesives,
fibers – and as the latest addition, specially designed and
fine-tuned polymers for the additive manufacturing industry. As
technological leaders we meet the highest quality requirements and
strive to fulfill the individual requirements of our customers.
More information on the company is available at
www.emsgriltech.com.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/10028753-5f25-4fec-9c7c-d15dc0d67eef
Investor Contact: investor.relations@3dsystems.com
Media Contact: press@3dsystems.com
Investor Contact: finance@ems-group.com
Media Contact: media@ems-group.com
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