Kimya PEKK-A Material Can Be 3D Printed with 3DGence ESM-10 Soluble Supports

Industrial 3D printer manufacturer 3DGence is working with two advanced material companies – Arkema and the Armor Group – to increase the use of open-market applications for high-performance PAEK materials. As a result of this collaboration, Armor Group’s Kimya PEKK-A material, which is made with Arkema’s Kepstan PEKK resin, has been added to 3DGence’s Certified Material Base and is available for purchase. Additionally, Kimya PEKK-A can now be 3D printed with 3DGence’s ESM-10 soluble support material for high-temperature, high-strength PAEK materials.

“Developing new solutions is an integral part of any manufacturing company’s strategy. We are glad that we could support 3DGence with our knowledge and experience,” said Pierre-Antoine Pluvinage, Business Development Director from Armor Group, Kimya Business Division. “It has resulted in the creation of a new technological project based on additive manufacturing and now custom material like PEKK can work with reliable 3D printer from 3DGence.”

3DGence’s industrial, TÜV-certified INDUSTRY F340 3D printer is the only one on the market able to process this unique combination of PEKK and soluble support.

“3DGence’s collaboration with Arkema and Armor Group is a major breakthrough for the Industrial 3D Printing Global Market,” stated Mateusz Sidorowicz, Marketing Manager from 3DGence. “Adding this new material profile for use on the 3DGence INDUSTRY F340 will allow enterprises from Aerospace, Automotive, and many other industries to produce complex parts from PEKK.  We are very pleased that we could increase the functionality of our Industrial 3D printer with Kimya’s high-performance material. This would not have been possible without the collaborative effort of these three companies.”

Until now, available 3D printing solutions for technical materials and soluble support has been rather restricted, which is difficult as high-strength, high-temperature prints really need that kind of support material to successfully achieve higher resolutions and complex geometries.

But 3DGence’s advanced ESM-10 can be automatically dissolved in dedicated cleaning stations, does not clog hotends, and does not recrystallize, which makes it ideal to support both high-performance PAEK polymers and professional materials such as ABS.

“Arkema is committed to unlocking the full potential of additive manufacturing by bringing comprehensive solutions to the end users,” said Roderick Reber, Staff Technical Service Engineer, Arkema Inc. “The partnership with 3DGence will enable the development of new industrial 3D printing applications combining their state-of-the-art equipment and the outstanding properties of Kepstan PEKK polymers. Kepstan PEKK has a unique combination of strength, toughness, low flammability and easy processing that make it the ideal material for the most demanding applications. Arkema has a global network for technical support and has recently expanded its Kepstan PEKK production with a new facility near Mobile, AL.”

Combining soluble ESM-10 supports with Kimya PEKK-A material can unlock more geometric freedom for users. As of right now, it is being used with other high-temperature materials creating thin-walled models and prints with engineered voids.

“Industrial 3D printers such as our 3DGence INDUSTRY F340 bring unmatched versatility into 3D printing’s part in the product development process – from concept to final model verification or use. Ground-breaking 3D printing technology and materials enables our clients to drive their prototyping and light production abilities forward, resulting in significant savings in project execution time, final model use, and ultimately total-cost-of-ownership,” said 3DGence America Inc. CEO Ron Faruqui. “Our mission is to continue to develop strong collaborations in printer and material development to bring these innovations to our clients quickly and ensure they can print successfully. It is one thing to have a 3D printer, and 3D materials –  but this combination must be engineered and optimized to work together as promised … quickly, reliably and easily.”

Stay tuned for more 3DGence news, as the company has revealed that it will announce a “new next-level product” on its INDUSTRY range of 3D printers at formnext 2019, November 19-22 in Frankfurt.

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[Images provided by 3DGence]