Ultimaker and LEHVOSS Group: Scaling industrial applications for 3D printing

“If we believe that 3D printing is a serious production method, I don’t think there is a role for a 3D printer producer to really determine what the materials are that our customers should use,” Paul Heiden, SVP Product Manager at Ultimaker, said.

As the technology continues to improve on its ability to produce end-use parts, it becomes even more critical that customers are assured that the materials they use are of high quality and reliable. It’s up to 3D printer and 3D printing filament manufacturers to provide that assurance.

It starts with the material

When creating or designing a part – especially an end-use part – the material is the first step in the 3D printing process. This is where a project’s vision begins to solidify. After the proper material has been decided upon, users can begin to think about the perfect printer for the job.

This is why LEHVOSS Group’s new LUVOCOM® 3F Filament series presented a ripe opportunity for both Ultimaker and LEHVOSS. These filaments are suitable for high-performance industrial applications, and available in four different materials. They are based on PAHT® and PET – two of which are carbon-fiber reinforced. They are highly processable even in unheated installation spaces, distortion-free, and durable – optimal properties for many industrial end-use applications.

“We are only highly interested in producing advanced materials, and we need partners
because we really want to push forward quality and bring things forward,” Thomas Oehmichen, Managing Partner at LEHVOSS Group, said.

Safe, reproducible, reliable

That need for partnership was fulfilled through an agreement between Ultimaker and LEHVOSS. The two companies will work together to obtain TÜV SÜD certification for LUVOCOM® 3F filaments on Ultimaker printers. The certification covers material properties and the print process provided by the Ultimaker S5 Pro Bundle, and is a major step towards industrialization and scalability of the 3D printing industry.

“Together with LEHVOSS Group, we make sure we offer a solution where our customers can rely on the use of materials that are provided by specialists like LEHVOSS – and we make sure it works with our printers,” Heiden said.

“The maturity of the market is now there. The people want to move,” Oehmichen added.

What's in it for the end user?

TÜV SÜD certification is a voluntary certification mark which shows that a product meets essential technical, quality, and safety requirements under the German Equipment and Product Safety Act. However, for flame-retardant or ESD-safe applications – and many others used in industries such as automotive, railway, and medical – TÜV SÜD certification is often a requirement. Acquiring the certification shows Ultimaker’s and LEHVOSS’s commitment to consistency, continuity, reliability, reproducibility, and compliance.

End users will now be able to rely on Ultimaker and LEHVOSS for a complete proposition – materials, workflow, and certification. By lowering the barrier to adoption, offering a sense of security, and providing solutions to applications which require certification, the Ultimaker-LEHVOSS partnership helps 3D printing in its journey to become a go-to option for industrial end-use applications.

“We are now moving into a new level in 3D printing,” Heiden said. “[It] really requires a new level of investment, a new level of effort to get things right … getting to the point where we meet the requirements that everybody expects us to deliver end parts.”

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