Evonik and NXT Factory intensify their cooperation for 3D printing.
The QLS technology from NXT Factory is designed to process high-temperature materials like Evonik's polyamide 613.
The specialty chemicals company Evonik and the U.S. start-up for 3D printing technologies NXT Factory, based in Ventura, CA, are expanding their partnership in additive manufacturing (AM). As part of this collaboration, Evonik will use its ready-to-use material development concept for the innovative QLS technology of NXT Factory in order to establish it on the market with a corresponding material portfolio.
QLS 350 is a powder-based 3D printing technology, which was developed by NXT Factory, based on a patented laser light engine. Designed for completely automated lights-out 24/7 operation, this system fully enables the potential of Industry 4.0 by taking AM from prototyping to low and medium volume production.
The user-friendly design of the printer features, among other things, Autonomous Guided Vehicle (AGV), so that the powder bed can be cooled outside the machine and moved autonomously to the depowdering station, which significantly improves productivity. QLS 350 was also designed to be able to process high-temperature materials like Evonik's polyamide 613 (PA 613).
"We have applied all our mechanical engineering experience to the development of the new QLS technology in order to create a new category in industrial manufacturing," said Kuba Graczyk, CEO of NXT Factory. "We are very excited to work with Evonik's in-depth materials expertise to advance our technology together."
"The new technology of NXT Factory offers further possibilities for our polymer formulations and is a perfect fit for our ready-to-use concept for strategic material development. It is our goal to provide new material systems in cooperation with customers and partners in order to further diversify the market for 3D printing materials and drive it towards serial production," said Thomas Große-Puppendahl, head of the AM innovation growth field at Evonik.
The strategic focus is the development and manufacture of ready-to-use high-performance materials across the major technology segments. The specialty chemicals company plans to release its high-temperature polymer powder PA 613 on NXT Factory's QLS 350 platform in the first quarter of 2020.
Evonik offers manufacturing polyamide 12 powders (PA 12), which have been used in AM technologies for over 20 years. In addition to PEEK filament and PA 12 powders, the product portfolio includes flexible PEBA powders and copolyesters and a wide range of additives, such as dispersants, flow improvers and reactive modifiers.
For more information contact:
Evonik Resource Efficiency GmbH
www.evonik.com
NXT Factory
1923 Eastman Ave., Ste. 200
Ventura, CA 93003
www.nxtfactory.com