Everberg, Belgium – Huntsman is launching three new TPU-based 3D printing materials. They will be highlighted at this October's K show in Dusseldorf.
The materials, Iroprint R, P and F, are aimed at the footwear and sports industries. These industries are already using 3D printing for mass produced and customised shoes, Huntsman said.
Iroprint R grades can be radiation cured. When the one-component liquid resin polymerises, it forms soft, durable materials, the company claimed. Pre-polymer formulations have a long pot life and a fast cure profile, it added.
Iroprint P powders are designed for high-speed sintering processes. The F grade filaments are designed for fused filament fabrication, and other extrusion-based printing systems.
All three grades offer good abrasion resistance, elongation at break and tear strength.
Stephane Peysson, Huntsman's global business development manager, introduced the grades at the company's K-show preview in Everberg in early July. He said that Huntsman and 3D printers had worked together to find a gap in the footwear market, and fill it with a suite of materials. He claimed that they are 'economical and easy to print' with different processes.
Looking to the future, he said: 'We see huge opportunities in other sectors of the 3D printing market. These range from automotive components to objects for internet of things applications. Estimates suggest the sector is set to grow by more than 20% by 2024.'
