Minneapolis, Minnesota — Chromatic 3D Materials has launched a new line of printers for reactive extrusion additive manufacturing with thermoset polyurethanes. The RX-Flow line is designed for development work and low-volume industrial production. The company says its reactive extrusion process allows for industrial additive manufacturing with more durable, flexible materials than are available with fused deposition mounding, stereolithography, and is other 3D printing methods.
Chromatic says its RX-Flow printers retail at roughly 25% of the price of typical industrial 3D printers. The RX-Flow machines are based on the company’s proprietary RX-AM materials and technology platform, which has been specifically designed for 3D printing thermoset elastomers such as two-component PU. The printers include control systems and instrumentation designed for printing with Chromatic materials and software.
RX-AM materials include printable PUs with Shore A hardness ranging from 50 to 90. Chromatic also provides custom materials with a variety of colours, hardnesses and functional properties (antibacterial, static discharge, biocides, etc.).
“There are many manufacturers who want to test drive 3D printing with thermoset engineering materials but find industrial 3D printers cost prohibitive. Our new line of R&D printers gives them a budget-friendly way to demonstrate proof of concept and take their first steps toward industrial-scale 3D printing with new technologies like reactive extrusion additive manufacturing,” said Chromatic CEO Dr Cora Leibig.
Chromatic offers R&D printers in two sizes: RX-Flow 3500 has a print area of 479mm x 743mm x 194mm, while the larger RX-Flow 7000 has a print area of 680mm x 1040mm x 194mm. The printers can produce up to 800 g/hr and are CE certified.
The company is headquartered in Golden Valley, near Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA and has a German facility in Selfkant.