The phasing out of film photography had to fill many companies with dread, but most of them have adapted well, moving into the sales of digital products after doing business in film and manual cameras for years. Some of the oldest camera companies, like Polaroid, have even entered the 3D printing market recently. Now Kodak, whose name has always been associated with film, is getting on board with the newest and arguably most exciting 3D printing technology that currently exists.
“We are excited to have Kodak as a partner as we continue to bring our technology to an array of industries including automotive, aerospace, athletic shoes and life sciences,” said Dr. Joseph DeSimone, CEO and Co-Founder of Carbon. “This collaboration further proves our dedication to the development of breakthrough additive materials.”
What those materials might look like remain to be seen, but CLIP is so different from any other 3D printing process that it won’t be surprising if it brings entirely new materials into the light as well. The process currently uses photosensitive resin, but there’s a lot you can do with resin materials, particularly when you’re not limited by the constraints of traditional additive manufacturing. It’ll be interesting to see what these companies – one a brand new, cutting edge upstart and the other a more-than-a-century-old corporation with a long history of chemical and technological expertise – will create together.
“Together, Carbon and Kodak are well positioned to develop and expand market opportunities for CLIP-based additive manufacturing,” said Kodak CEO Jeff Clarke. “Kodak is a world leader in materials development and we are excited to be working with an innovative and progressive company like Carbon.”
How do you see this technology changing the marketplace? Discuss in the CLIP 3D Printing forum over at 3DPB.com.