Scalable custom and industrial 3D printing solutions that incorporate high-performance materials is the purpose of a partnership between engineering plastics specialist DSM (Heerlen / The Netherlands; www.dsm.com) and Shapeways (New York, New York / USA; www.shapeways.info), a 3D printing service bureau. The collaboration combines DSM’s lineup of high-performance 3D printing materials with Shapeways proprietary technology offerings that include on-demand 3D printing at scale.

DSM says the partnership represents its continued commitment toward creating an additive manufacturing ecosystem through collaboration with printer manufacturers, material companies, service bureaus, software providers, original equipment manufacturers and end users – see Plasteurope.com of 31.07.2019.

Shapeways has manufacturing facilities in Long Island City, New York and Eindhoven / The Netherlands. Earlier in 2019 the company partnered with Carbon (Redwood City, California / USA; www.carbon3d.com), which has developed a 3D manufacturing platform using its proprietary “Digital Light Synthesis” process. Shapeways also has agreements with Electro Optical Systems (EOS, Krailing / Germany; www.eos.info) to produce 3D-printed products from polyamide 12 through select laser sintering (SLS), with Hewlett Packard (HP, Palo Alto, California; www.hp.com) to use PA 12 with HP’s “Multi Jet Fusion” 3D printer and with Stratasys (Eden Prairie, Minnesota / USA; www.stratasys.com) for its multi-material printer.

DSM has also partnered with Chromatic 3D Materials (Golden Valley, Minnesota / USA; www.c3dmaterials.com), a producer of 3D-printable polyurethanes, and 3D printer manufacturer German RepRap (Feldkirchen / Germany; www.germanreprap.com). The collaboration is focused on printing high-performance, flexible parts using Chromatic’s PU materials. Applications include noise-reducing buffers and mechanical clutches for power transmissions in cars, and gaskets used in train braking systems. The rubbery materials are also suitable for insoles in footwear.

Originally, DSM had partnered with Chromatic to explore thermoset materials for 3D-printed components. Along with German RepRap, the companies will expand the collaboration to market Chromatic’s “FlexTune” polyurethanes globally.