3D printing New high
3D printing New high performance PLA grades for 3D Printing NatureWorks will introduce in 2015 new grades of high performance Ingeo PLA specifically formulated for professional and consumer 3D printing applications. These new grades will make significant improvements to the performance and heat resistance of 3D printed parts without sacrificing the printability and user friendliness of PLA. In the professional and consumer 3D printing market, ABS and PLA are the preferred polymers in use. In professional or production applications, the strength, flexibility, machinability, and high temperature resistance make ABS a top choice polymer. Unpleasant fumes when printing with ABS, a tendency for warped parts during printing, high printing temperatures, and the potential need for a heated print bed or controlled-temperature build chamber are the most often quoted negatives associated with ABS. PLA filament offers excellent printing and fusing performance, a glossy appearance, low odor and printing temperatures, a wide range of colors, and renewably, rather than fossil, sourced feedstocks, all attributes that have attracted users of desktop printers. Upgrades to the Blair, Nebraska, manufacturing facility bring new performance characteristics to Ingeo In 2013, NatureWorks completed a major upgrade at its Blair, Nebraska, Ingeo manufacturing facility that not only increased plant capacity, but also made it possible to polymerize new high performance grades of PLA for durables, fibers, and lactide intermediates. The new Ingeo durable grades allow faster cycle times and production rates, a 10–15 °C (18–27 °F) improvement in heat deformation temperature (HDT), and a three-to-four fold increase in bulk crystallization rate. Shortly after the new high performance Ingeo grades were introduced, NatureWorks began market research aimed at better understanding 3D printing applications and end-user needs for customers ranging from professional users, to prototypers, hobbyists, artists, schools, printer manufacturers – and to the filament supply chain. NatureWorks purchased its own printers, using them for filament testing and assessment of the new Ingeo grades, and regularly using them at trade shows for applications discussions with attendees. It soon became clear that an optimized resin that rivals or exceeds the performance and cost of ABS would be a market winner if it were coupled with the right supply chain strategy. NatureWorks intends to work closely with a limited number of industry leaders per region to bring Ingeo filament to market using its new grades. According to Dan Sawyer, Segment Leader-New Business Development, “We are often asked by users where we recommend they buy PLA filament. Because filament quality is essential to successful printing, NatureWorks is focused on innovative Ingeo filament producers who have a strong understanding of the gauge consistency and filament uniformity necessary to print for hours or even days, without disruption. We are carefully vetting filament producers that can deliver the quality and growing demand for Ingeo-based PLA filament.” The NatureWorks 3D resin grade and market development team is excited about the growth opportunities for Ingeo and building on the fact that PLA is the preferred material for 3D printing by introducing advanced grades that satisfy a broader application space. The quickly evolving state of the market is reminiscent of a decade ago when bioplastics were first introduced at a global commercial scale. www.natureworksllc.com By: Leah Ford New Markets Analyst NatureWorks Minnetonka, Minnesota, USA 26 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9
IMAGINE – If there was an easy way to identify your polymer. PET 1 64,48 % PET 2 76,67 % % PET 3 95,93 3D printed PLA egg Up until now Dutch designer Michiel van der Kley was mainly known for his furniture designs. Now, his fascination with the possibilities of 3D printing has inspired the development of Project EGG – an organically shaped, airy object suffused with light that is perhaps best described as a pavilion. It’s a space in which floor, walls and ceiling seamlessly flow together to form an egg-shaped building measuring 5 x 4 x 3 meters made of recyclable, biodegradable PLA links, or stones. To date, Project EGG is the largest desktop 3d-printed co-creation art project undertaken anywhere. Project EGG is composed of 4670 stones, each with its own, unique shape, produced by a worldwide 3D printing community participating in the project. During his research into the potential of the 3D-printer, Van der Kley came into contact with bloggers and digital communities all over the world, whom he invited to be part of Project EGG by printing a stone. Since each stone had to be printed individually, slight variations could be made in each design. Participants received the digital version for their unique stone, including their name. Enthusiasts who did not own a printer could support the project by adopting a stone. Hundreds of contributions were received from co-creators and adopters, from the US to Australia, from Portugal to Croatia. Project EGG was completed on time to be shown at the Dutch Design week last month; Studio Michiel van der Kley is now planning a global tour, to take place in the next two years, to show the structure to a broader international audience. In addition, the designer is researching other options, such as the best material that would enable Project EGG to be produced for an outdoor setting. KL www.projectegg.org We made it possible. The new DSC 214 Polyma. More than a DSC. Your Solution. Find out more: www.netzsch.com/n22221 NETZSCH-Gerätebau GmbH Wittelsbacherstraße 42 95100 Selb Germany Tel.: +49 9287 881-0 Fax: +49 9287 881 505 at@netzsch.com bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9 27
