SABIC announces new high-impact strength FDM 3D printing material

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Chemical company, SABIC has announced it will launch a new high-impact strength Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) filament at next month’s formnext powered by TCT event in Frankfurt.

While previous SABIC 3D printing material releases have been based on the company’s polycarbonate (PC), polyetherimide (PEI), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), and polyphenylene ether (PPE) engineering resins, there has been no confirmation which material group the new product will be based on.

The new release represents an extension of the company’s presence in the additive manufacturing sector – SABIC promised to bring differentiated materials to the additive market to help solidify the technology as a viable full-scale production process. This begun earlier this year, at RAPID+TCT, as SABIC introduced six FDM 3D printing filaments designed for use in Stratasys Fortus systems. The company has also launched a family of reinforced compounds for large format additive manufacturing, which also came to market in 2017.

This latest addition to the portfolio is set to be the first in a series of materials which will be rolled out within the next 12 months. It is said to delivery improved impact resistance to other materials of its kind currently on the market. SABIC says the material could be used to manufacture parts suitable for a variety of applications, from aerospace and automotive components, to consumer goods.

At formnext powered by TCT, SABIC will showcase a range of parts printed in the new material at its Additive Manufacturing Centers of Excellence in Pittsfield Massachusetts and Bergen op Zoon, the Netherlands. Additionally, there will also be parts printed in the company’s other material offerings, including fully amorphous PC parts printed in SLS, and a cross-section of a prototype yacht hull designed by Livrea Yacht and Autodesk and built on SABIC’s Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) printer. The company will also present its resources for design, application development, and testing for AM.

SABIC will be present for the duration of formnext, November 14th – November 17th, in Hall 3.1, Stand G78.