Ultimaker has partnered with DSM, BASF, DuPont Transportation & Advanced Polymers, Owens Corning, Mitsubishi Chemical, Henkel, Kuraray, Solvay, and Clariant as part of an alliance program to enable high level engineering plastics and composites on Ultimaker machines.
Software profiles for more materials
As part of the alliance, Ultimaker will provide these leading materials companies with software tools based on extensive research and development, and our knowledge of 3D printing materials. This will allow the material companies to generate and maintain material profiles so that customers can reliably use these filaments on Ultimaker 3D printers.
With these new material profiles, users will be able to easily load a 3D model in Ultimaker Cura and print using preconfigured settings available in Ultimaker Cura, ensuring maximum print quality with minimum effort. The alliances will serve as a strong foundation for future collaborations, opening up doors for more advanced applications based on user demand.
Opening up applications
According to market intelligence firm IDC, global spending on 3D printing technologies is expected to reach nearly $12 billion in 2018. As 3D printers become more popular in a range of industries, there is increased need for materials that can be used throughout the entire product development cycle. A car manufacturer might use a specific plastic to create the majority of its parts and find value in 3D printing prototypes in the same material to have a better idea of the end result – or to print an end-use part immediately.
“High quality 3D prints are the result of an optimized alignment of hardware, software and materials. The strategic alliances formed with these global material companies opens up the use of the most sophisticated engineering plastics on Ultimaker printers, allowing the customers of the companies and Ultimaker to fully embed 3D printing in their existing workflows,” said Jos Burger, CEO of Ultimaker.
More information on the material collaborations will be announced later in 2018. Find out more about the current Ultimaker material range ready for applications from prototyping to functional parts, including our new Tough PLA filament.