3D printers are all the more impressive when they’re able to print with higher-tech materials. In the latest innovation on the filament front, today Utah-based Turner MedTech announced their newest development: GMASS 3D filament.
“We are extremely pleased to bring a technology to market that will serve as a catalyst for a new era of innovation in 3D printing,” said Truner MedTech’s Founder and CEO, Dr. Clark Turner.
This catalyst, as Dr. Turner calls it, is GMASS, which is intended for rapid prototyping applications, and is a high-density ABS-based filament (patent pending). Turner MedTech will debut GMASS filaments at the Radiological Society of North America’s annual meeting, which will run November 30 – December 5 in Chicago. Orders for 2014 delivery are being accepted now.
Among GMASS’ recommended uses — for rapid prototyping or low-volume manufacturing — are:
- Consumer — add weight and balance to sporting goods
- Health Care — medical x-ray shielding, nuclear medicine components, laboratory equipment
- Industrial — x-ray shielding, reactor shielding, vibration dampening, inertial weighting
“The new GMASS filaments are ideal for x-ray equipment designers and are also configured for easy use by hobbyists and experimentalists in the rapidly growing 3D printing industry as well,” said Dr. Turner.
GMASS filaments are designed to be utilized on 3D printers using a heated bed (recommended at 100°C-110°C), with recommended printing temperatures in the 200°C-230°C range.
According to Dr. Turner, one order for GMASS has been placed by a growing x-ray equipment company in order to prototype a new x-ray collimator design. The use of GMASS filament in this application is expected to allow for time and money savings in their prototyping, ultimately bringing the final product to market in a speedier process than using traditional materials and techniques.
Let’s hear you thoughts on Turner MedTech’s latest product in the GMASS Filament forum thread on 3DPB.com.