Global fluoropolymer company, Dyneon has announced its investment in a new 3D laboratory printer at its Burgkirchen location.
The printer will accelerate the company’s research into the additive manufacturing of fluoropolymer components. Using a new patent-pending technology, Dyneon will look to process fully fluorinated polymers, such as polytetrafloroethylene (PTFE) by means of 3D printing.
Dyneon’s objective is to bring the new additive process to the production stage.
“With our new laboratory printer we can manufacture PTFE parts directly from digital information without any tooling,” said Dr. Ing Fee Zentis, who is responsible for the new 3D printing technology with PTFE at the Burgkirchen site. “This new additive manufacturing technology is of particular importance for PTFE, which is usually machined by subtractive manufacturing methods.”
The new process is said to enable the manufacturing of complex parts and the integration of several functions within them, while the printer’s build area of 35mm x 30mm x 55mm will further support this. Developed by 3M Advanced Materials, a department of Dyneon’s parent company, the stereolithography-based process enables the printing of fully fluorinated polymers. This is done with the aid of a binding agent and, if necessary, with additives, such as fillers used in conventional manufacturing, to initially form a so-called hydro-gel.
Fully fluorinated polymers such as PTFE exhibit virtually universal chemical resistance. They are frequently used where aggressive media have to be controlled at high temperatures. Apart from large series applications in the powertrain of cars, these high-performance materials are also used in the aerospace and chemical industry, in medical equipment and in semiconductor factories.
Dyneon is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of fluoropolymers. The Burgkrichen site alone boasts a production capacity of more than 17,000 tonnes per year.