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DSM expands further into additive manufacturing.
Global science company, Royal DSM, has announced it is expanding further into additive manufacturing with a new integrated business, DSM Additive Manufacturing, which builds on DSM’s existing materials businesses and expertise in AM.
With two decades experience in stereolithography (SLA) and digital light processing (DLP) under its Somos business, the new approach will go beyond SLA and DLP, to offer Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) and tap into years of research in Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Multi Jet Fusion, Ink Jet and Binder Jet processes.
DSM will initially focus on four market segments, healthcare, transportation, apparel and tools & electronics, and will have a strong interest in R&D.
“We want to show the market that DSM is committed to additive manufacturing. So we are going to expand our business and put things together to better serve the customers,” Hugo da Silva, VP of Additive Manufacturing at DSM told TCT.
Partnerships and collaboration will play a major part in the new organisation to provide customers with an open and flexible infrastructure. DSM has already made various collaborations including the recent “One DSM” framework technology partnership agreement with Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG). The agreement involves all DSM businesses active in supplying materials and technology to the automotive sector – Somos, Engineering Plastics, and also Dyneema ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fiber. DSM has also acquired the HP Multi Jet Fusion Materials Development Kit in an effort to jump-start 3D powder development for HP’s Jet Fusion 3D printing solution. DSM plans to collaborate with HP in the development of materials and bring innovative solutions to the market.
Speaking about the importance of materials and partnerships, Hugo explained: “I would say materials are very important part but it’s the combination of the materials and how they are used by a customer … there needs to be partnerships to make this work where materials might be the centre of that but other parties need to collaborate in order to get the solution made.”
The AM industry has experienced increased interest from materials and science companies in recent years looking into and producing specific AM materials. DSM believes its history in the market has provided the right experience to expand its business even further into the sector.
“DSM has been in 3D printing for over 20 years, we have experienced it from the inside whereas others are just monitoring from the outside," Hugo added. "But the overall conclusion of all the industry is there are big challenges in 3D printing to move to real manufacturing.”
This week at formnext powered by tct in Frankfurt, the company is set to emphasise both materials and applications in Hall 3.0 on Stand C29. Visitors will be able to see Somos Taurus, the first SLA material to bring the combination of thermal resistance, mechanical strength and impact performance that until now has only been achieved in AM using techniques such as FDM and SLS. In addition, Novamid ID 1030-KS, the first material for FDM/FFF with a UL 94 V-0 rating, which makes possible the creation of UL-certified small-series FFF/FDM parts for industrial applications, and Arnitel ID 2060-HT which offers a combination of heat resistance (Continuous Use Temperature is 150°C), resistance to chemicals such as EGR (Exhaust Gas Regeneration) condensate and mechanical properties for demanding automotive applications.
Visit DSM at formnext on 14-17th November at Frankfurt Messe.
