Royal DSM has added a new product to its broad portfolio of 3D printing materials Arnilene AM6001 GF (G), a glass-filled polypropylene (PP) pellet material developed for fused granulate fusion (FGF) 3D printing. The new material is well suited for direct 3D printing structural, lightweight components for industries like automotive, as well as tooling.
The new pellet material is based on polypropylene, one of the most widely used polymers in the world. Thanks to its mechanical, thermal and chemical performance properties, PP has many, many applications in the automotive, industrial and infrastructure segments, to name but a few. The ability for these industries to continue working with this same material using additive manufacturing is hugely beneficial, as they are familiar with its properties and performance.
Arnilene AM6001 GF (G) (the “G” stands for granulates), was developed to facilitate the adoption of AM for end-use parts and tooling, and to meet growing demand for PP-based AM materials. DSM says the new FGF material delivers the mechanical, thermal (HDT of 135°C) and chemical performance of conventional glass-filled PP with the added advantage of 3D printing’s flexibility.
“Availability of engineering-grade materials with the right property set is the next step in the additive manufacturing revolution,” said Geoff Gardner, Innovations director Additive Manufacturing at DSM. “Developed by our experts, Arnilene AM6001 GF (G) offers industrial customers an industry standard material with robust mechanical, thermal and chemical performance in an additive manufacturing format. By using a material they already have experience with, they can fully focus on 3D printing and its benefits for their business.”
The material has undergone extensive testing: DSM Additive Manufacturing worked in cooperation with equipment partners to optimize and validate the material for closed and open chamber FGF 3D printers. The material also boasts a low carbon footprint (due to reduced energy consumption) and a low Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) thanks to PP’s chemical composition.
DSM is marketing the new material to several segment, including automotive, marine, infrastructure and water management. The material is also well suited for printing low temperature tooling. The company has been working in collaboration with Ohio-based JuggerBot 3D to advance FGF 3D printing and accelerate its industrialization through the development of high-performance pellet materials and printers.
