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Royal DSM Acquires Portion of Clariant 3D Printing Materials

Royal DSM has announced that it will be taking over portions of the 3D printing portfolio of Swiss chemical giant Clariant, representing a somewhat dramatic shift in the additive manufacturing (AM) materials market. Specifically, DSM will now have a larger collection of filament, pellet and powder products for 3D printing.

The 3D printing materials space has become a competitive one since an increasing number of established chemical companies began entering the space. Among them was Clariant, a near $6.5 billion spin-off of Sandoz, once known as the inventors of LSD but which has since become Novartis, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. In 2017, Clariant launched its 3D printing business and, only three years later, Clariant has determined that AM materials don’t fit within its general strategy, though it will keep a foot in the market with its additives and flame retardants.

Clariant 3D Printer Filament.

The Dutch nutrition, health and materials multinational DSM, meanwhile, has been in the additive materials business for over 25 years and has been rapidly increasing its growth in the space particularly in recent years. Its finance capital arm, DSM Ventures, has poured money into a number of projects, including material startup Adaptive3D, smart inkjet 3D printing company Inkbit, post-processing firm Additive Manufacturing Technologies and Voxel8, a startup dedicated to multimaterial 3D printing. DSM continues to expand its materials horizons, as well, focusing on such pellet-based extrusion and flame retardant filament, among others.

DSM’s glass-reinforced Arnite AM8527 PET 3D printing material. Image courtesy of Royal DSM.

Clariant is handing over several staff members, its background in powder development, a piece of its filament and pellet materials portfolio to DSM. Additionally included is a small production line for manufacturing small batches of materials, as well as some operations dedicated to 3D printing customer relations.

DSM suggests that these acquisitions will not only increase its overall product portfolio, but will allow for more agile production with “faster product tweaks based on application needs” due to both the expertise of the Clariant team that will be joining DSM and a “dedicated, highly flexible and high-speed compounding setup.”

Joris Peels, 3DPrint.com Executive Editor and SmarTech analyst, provided his insight into the news, saying, “[I loved] their rail product; the packaging was awesome, the marketing was really good; it was very slick and well done. It was smart of them to use their compounding and additives expertise to make flame retardant and other highly functional products. If the Clariant team brings its agility and speed, as well as application knowledge, to DSM it should make the [Dutch] giant nimbler.”

In particular, Peels noted how quick the Clariant team was in the market, adding that the acquisition could provide DSM with its mark in 3D printing filaments:

“Relative to other polymer companies the Clariant team really our executed and in a very rapid manner met the market with high quality compounds and filaments for specific applications. Clariants products, filaments, compounds and the selected additives are all very high grade and their products were very application focused and ahead of the curve,” Peels said. “DSM has yet to really make a mark in filaments and the Clariant teams’ agility and market knowledge could give DSM the edge that it seeks on application focused FDM filaments.”

As DSM continues to grow in the additive space, it will be competing against the likes of BASF, the world’s largest chemical company, which is also making serious moves within the space and at a rapid pace. The most notable and recent may be the purchase of 3D printing service bureau Sculpteo, as well as its large investments in Materialise and Essentium. As these transformations continue to occur in materials, we will certainly see the AM industry as a whole change shape in new and unexpected ways.

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DSM and JuggerBot 3D partner to advance pellet extrusion 3D printing

Dutch multinational chemical company Royal DSM has partnered with Ohio-based JuggerBot 3D, a 3D printing engineering and consulting firm, to explore the potential of fused granulate fabrication (FGF) technology. The collaboration will lead to the development of pellet 3D printers and materials, intended for production applications. Citing an increase in demand for large-scale additive manufacturing, […]

Pellet 3D Printing to Be Advanced by DSM and Juggerbot 3D

Dutch chemical company Royal DSM has announced a partnership with Youngstown, Ohio’s Juggerbot 3D to develop 3D printers and materials for pellet-based manufacturing. This represents greater momentum toward the adoption of pellet-based additive manufacturing (AM), which is sometimes considered to be the future of material extrusion 3D printing technologies.

While DSM is already well-known within AM for its production of various materials for 3D printing, Juggerbot 3D is not yet quite a household name. The startup emerged from the Youngstown Business Incubator, with support from America Makes, as a manufacturer of large-scale, industrial-quality material extrusion 3D printers. While its initial filament-based systems are capable of high-temperature printing with high-performance plastics, Juggerbot more recently developed a form of fused granulate fabrication (FGF) for its P3-44 3D printer.

The machine has a build volume of 915 mm x 1,220 mm x 1,220 mm (36 in x 48 in x 48 in) and can manufacture parts at a rate of 4.5-9.1 kg/hr (10-20 lbs/hr). It features two interchangeable extruders, small and large for precise or fast printing, as well as mobile drying units for removing moisture from pellets prior to printing and an environmentally controlled build chamber.

The Tradesman Series P3-44 pellet extrusion 3D printer from Juggerbot. Image courtesy of Juggerbot 3D.

The ability to 3D print using granules opens up a number of benefits. Not only can they be fed via hopper into the extruder more quickly than filament, but, because the materials typically used are readily available injection molding pellets, machine operators have a much wider portfolio of plastics to choose from. Combined with a high-speed deposition head and a large build chamber, pellet-based systems have the ability to 3D print large objects very quickly. Moreover, they are much, much cheaper than filaments.

After working together on filaments for Juggerbot systems, DSM and Juggerbot will now collaborate on the development of pellet-based industrial systems and materials. The Ohio startup’s existing FGF printer has been designed to print with DSM’s glass-reinforced PET polymer, Arnite AM8527, and DSM will be adding more pellet products to its 3D printing materials portfolio.

DSM’s glass-reinforced Arnite AM8527 PET 3D printing material. Image courtesy of Royal DSM.

Support from the massive Dutch multinational, which rakes in about €10 billion in net sales annually, is obviously an important boost for the startup. For DSM, it’s not just a way to expand its sales, but to secure a position in the large-format and pellet extrusion markets.

After all, BASF invested heavily in Essentium, which has developed its own form of large-format printing with technology meant to address the issue of Z-axis weakness. The chemical giant also recently partnered with Cincinnati Inc., which is known for its massive pellet extrusion machines (though the partnership is limited to its desktop filament printer for now). DuPont, too, sees pellet 3D printing as the future of the market, with Marketing Manager for Industrial & Consumer Christophe Paulo saying that “the bulk of the Material Extrusion market will be in pellet to parts.”

Pellet-based 3D printing technology is still early in its development as a market, with a comparatively small number of hardware manufacturers offering pellet machines. These companies typically come from industrial manufacturing backgrounds. Cincinnati, Ingersoll and Thermwood are all machine tool makers and Arburg is an injection molding company. It would make sense that these are the types of firms already sensing the way that the wind is blowing and one wonders if filament extrusion system manufacturers will catch on sooner rather than later.

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Formnext: Royal DSM, Chromatic 3D Materials, German RepRap to Develop Flexible 3D Printing Solutions

formnext 2019 just wrapped up in Frankfurt, but we still have plenty of news to share from the show floor, including the announcement of a new partnership between global science-based company Royal DSM, Chromatic 3D Materials, and German RepRap (GRR). Together, the three will be working to develop flexible, high-performance 3D printing solutions in polyurethane (PU) parts for a variety of industries, such as rail, footwear, and automotive.

Flexible materials can be used to make many different parts, but it’s not always easy to 3D print with PU and similar materials. That’s why these three companies, from different parts of the 3D printing value chain, are working together to remove the barriers from, and make sure that manufacturers have proper access to, the necessary expertise and resources for 3D printing high-performance parts with Chromatic’s FlexTune line of durable, flexible, and reliable PU elastomer materials.

“Many high-performance parts require a degree of flexibility in their daily use. Removing barriers that stand in the way of the adoption of this technology by teaming up with partners like Chromatic and GRR clearly underscores the power of DSM’s 3D printing ecosystem. Combining these partners’ expertise across the 3D printing value chain helps make 3D printing more attainable and offers manufacturers a complete solution,” stated Hugo da Silva, DSM’s VP of Additive Manufacturing. “Together, we can unlock the full potential of additive manufacturing and scale 3D printing to industrial production levels.”

Image: Chromatic via YouTube

In this partnership, GRR will make its knowledge and equipment accessible to manufacturers interested in adopting the FlexTune materials. According to Chromatic, this versatile line of materials can help make 3D printed products that go all the way from a flexible Shore A hardness of 40 to a rigid Shore A of 90. The company states that its “ability to customize the product is almost limitless.”

“The introduction of FlexTune 3D printable polyurethanes elastomers is a vital step for additive manufacturing to becoming the industrial process for manufacturing flexible parts. Elastomers are no longer just for prototypes, but durable enough to withstand the rigors expected of performance materials in commercial applications,” stated Chromatic 3D Materials CEO Cora Leibig. “The partnership of DSM’s market knowledge, GRR’s advanced printing capability and Chromatic’s ability to adapt thermoset materials to additive manufacturing is an exciting leap forward for the industry that we are proud to be engaged in.”

Examples of some of the specific applications that could really benefit from parts made out of flexible materials include train braking system gaskets, insoles for shoes, noise-reducing buffers and mechanical clutches for power transmission in cars, and hoses and bellows.

This isn’t DSM’s first experience with Chromatic – last year, it led a Series A funding round for the next-generation 3D printing materials company, and the two originally teamed up to introduce and explore thermoset materials for 3D printed parts, which offer more resilience and durability than thermoplastics. Now, partnering with GRR, both companies will be able to further market Chromatic’s FlexTune material line – now available around the globe.

“Due to this great collaboration with DSM and Chromatic our customers can now manufacture thermoset material parts that are difficult or impossible to produce by injection moulding,” said German RepRap CEO Florian Bautz. “At the same time the final parts have the same mechanical properties as injection-moulded parts, which brings major advantages for the future.”

The complete 3D printing solution that these three partners are offering will help many manufacturers enjoy the benefits of using flexible 3D printing materials.

Discuss this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts below.

The post Formnext: Royal DSM, Chromatic 3D Materials, German RepRap to Develop Flexible 3D Printing Solutions appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

Additive Manufacturing Technologies raises $5.2 million for 3D printing post-processing technology

UK-based post-processing specialist Additive Manufacturing Technologies (AMT) has announced the completion of a $5.2 million Series A funding round. The round was led by DSM Venturing, the venture capital arm of global material producer Royal DSM, Foresight Williams Technology EIS Fund, an enterprise investment scheme formed by private equity firm Foresight Group LLP (Foresight), and the […]

Royal DSM Will Choose Ten Startups to Participate in the I AM Tomorrow Challenge

Royal DSM, headquartered in The Netherlands, is a global company based on science and sustainable living—with serious dedication to 3D printing also, as they realize the incredible potential such technology offers so many industries around the world. Now, they are offering an acceleration program in large-scale 3D printing and additive manufacturing for startups and scaleups, with a focus on data analytics, artificial intelligence, and related software. The teams will also participate master classes, be exposed to ‘exclusive’ networking opportunities, and receive expert coaching sessions.

The I AM Tomorrow Challenge, in collaboration with HighTechXL, Hexagon, and Ultimaker, chooses a limited number of companies to participate in the unique ten-week acceleration program meant to help launch new businesses or help existing ones evolve further. DSM offers funding or partnerships to some startups who complete the acceleration program, with applications accepted through August 8. Only ten companies will be chosen to attend, either at HighTechXL’s campus in Eindhoven or Boston, MA.

While many industrial companies are just beginning to embrace the benefits of 3D printing, a rare few others have been in on the secret for decades—and DSM is one of those pioneers, at the forefront of AM processes for over 25 years with their Somos® products. With an eye to the future and the realization of how important new startups are to the ‘digital ecosystem,’ DSM is helping to mold the continued expansion of 3D printing in the next decades.

The DSM team lists their reasons for creating the program:

Recognition of the power of 3D printing
World-class materials expertise
Global reach
Expansive industry network
Financial resources

DSM has already invested in over 50 companies spanning Europe, the US, and Israel since 2001. This is their ninth challenge for startups, and all part of their mission to build sustainability throughout the world.

Hugo da Silva

“Digitalization will transform the world of manufacturing. By building an ecosystem of partners, we can work together to create tools that support 3D printing design and production, helping our affiliates and customers create innovative new products in a more sustainable way. The I AM Tomorrow Challenge is a step toward a brighter future,” said Hugo da Silva, VP Additive Manufacturing DSM.

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division is also working toward an end-to-end digital solution for AM processes, and they will be connecting with both DSM and partners in assessing and companies participating in the acceleration program that might be able to participate in development.

Royal DSM continues to be a force in 3D printing, from collaborations with companies like Briggs Automotive Company to partnerships with FormFutura and development of materials for new 3D printing systems. What do you think of this news? Let us know your thoughts! Join the discussion of this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com.

[Source / Images: DSM press release]

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DSM launches ‘I AM Tomorrow’ acceleration program for 3D printing software startups

Global science-based company and material producer DSM has announced the I AM Tomorrow Challenge, an acceleration program designed to drive innovation in 3D printing. The initiative has been created for startups and scaleups focused on data analytics, AI and other advanced software solutions for large-scale 3D printing. Specifically, streamlining the 3D printing process flow is […]

Origin and DSM announce partnership to develop new open additive materials

Global science company and material manufacturer Royal DSM, has partnered with San Francisco-based 3D printing startup Origin. The goal of this collaboration is to develop new materials for additive manufacturing, and marks another boost for Origin’s Open Additive Production platform. Specifically the two entities will focus on the optimization of Royal DSM photopolymer materials for […]

Somos PerFORM HW: Royal DSM Develops New Material for Origin 3D Printing System

While 3D printing users may often enjoy squirreling themselves away in their workshops or labs, spending hours tinkering just to see what they can come up with next, the industry itself is built on many partnerships and collaboration. As you are busy going about your normal day, scientists and engineers in research and development labs in many different countries are deep in concentration, creating new materials, software, hardware, and systems for 3D printing objects and parts for a wide variety of applications. The latest partnership, between Royal DSM and Origin is a perfect example of such commitments, as they work together in creating new materials and the hardware to use it.

Royal DSM is an expansive, global science-based company headquartered in The Netherlands. With a focus on nutrition, health, and sustainable living, they continue to grow stronger and are very open to dynamic partnerships furthering their mission. For months now, they have been working on a new photopolymer material that was customized for Origin, meant to complement their programmable photopolymerization (P3) technology.

Origin is known for the open ecosystem concepts, which fits right into DSM’s general mission to build an overall 3D printing ecosystem globally—with both attempting to promote accessibility to additive manufacturing and assist in accelerating adoption of the technology.

“The quality and surface finish we’re seeing with Somos® PerFORM HW on Origin’s P3 process are outstanding and unparalleled,” says Noud Steffens, Market Development Director Additive Manufacturing at DSM. “Origin provides an unprecedented degree of control so users can get consistent commercial-grade results using Somos® PerFORM HW and soon other DSM materials.”

DSM’s new Somos® PerFORM HW will not just be incorporated into the Origin lineup, it was specifically optimized for the innovative San Francisco-based company to offer similarities with Somos® PerFORM, with material properties that allow the manufacturing of strong, stiff, temperature-resistant parts—often required for aerodynamic modeling and rapid tooling.

“We’re excited that DSM is joining our open network of material partners and broadening the potential applications available to our users,” says Chris Prucha, Origin’s CEO and co-founder. “DSM is the market leader in world class photopolymers with decades of experience developing unique photo-reactive chemistries. Together we are addressing today’s manufacturing challenges for customers.”

(Image: Origin)

The two companies announced in their recent press release sent to 3DPrint.com that there will also be more materials available for the Origin platform soon, as they continue to work closely together improving materials and seeking out new applications for use.

As 3D printing flourishes from a relatively unknown technology meant for prototyping into a billion-dollar consumer-driven industry capturing the interest of users around the world, many companies have taken a jack-of-all-trades business model and marketing mentality, offering a one-stop shop for their customers. Others, however, may find one strength and continue reinforcing it in search of excellence—while reaching out to entrepreneurs and organizations to complement what they have created, bringing the full commercial picture together as DSM has done with other partners like Ultimaker, FormFutura, and Adaptive3D.

(Image: Origin)

Will you be attending the RAPID + TCT conference in Detroit from May 20-23? If so, check out Origin’s printer (Booth #2153) and the new optimized materials from DSM (Booth #303) which will be ‘available for sampling’ with the launch of Origin’s new hardware.

[Source / Images: Royal DSM/Origin]

3D Printing News Sliced: AMUG, Desktop Metal, Stratasys, Royal DSM

This week Sliced, the 3D Printing Industry news digest, covers a variety of developments from the 2019 Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) conference as well as the Hannover Messe trade show. Elsewhere, we see novel applications in 3D printed electronics, artworks, watches, pattern-less investment casting and more. AMUG 2019 releases AMUG 2019 has now come to a close. […]