Essentium + Braskem
Essentium announced today it is partnering with Braskem, one of the largest producers of polyolefins in the Americas, as well as a market leader and pioneer producer of biopolymers on an industrial scale.
The companies say that combining the Essentium High Speed Extrusion (HSE) 280i HT 3D printer with Braskem’s polyolefin materials will unlock affordable, sustainable, and rapid volume production of 3D printed thermoplastic components.
Braskem offers a line of recycled materials specifically formulated for additive manufacturing solutions. Sourced primarily from recycled bottle caps, the recycled filaments come in both unfilled and carbon fibre-filled versions. According to Braskem, the FL605R-CF carbon fibre-filled formulation utilises both recycled bottle caps as well as 100% recycled carbon fibre for additional strength and durability.
The environmentally friendly filaments offer differentiated materials properties such as low density, as well as water, chemical, and impact resistance.
Essentium states that with Braskem, more materials possibilities will be unlocked through the advanced functionality of the Essentium HSE 280i, a dual extrusion system that has an open platform with precision control over printing conditions and high printing speeds.
“Our partnership with Essentium is a huge win for manufacturers worldwide. The fact that Essentium offers a high-speed, open platform means that manufacturers can now benefit from sustainable and responsible material options that are also extremely affordable,” said Jason Vagnozzi, Braskem’s Global Commercial Director of Additive Manufacturing. “Together with Essentium, we are democratising 3D printing and providing a competitive option to more industries.”
Blake Teipel, Ph.D., CEO, Essentium, said: “With Braskem, we have a true partner who shares our commitment to developing sustainable solutions to accelerate industrial-scale additive manufacturing. Polyolefins are ideal for AM due to their recyclability, impact strength, chemical resistance, and durability. This makes them a great choice for automotive, aerospace, biomedical, and packaging applications. Our partnership with Braskem will empower manufacturers with integrated solutions as AM moves towards prime time in their industries.”
