NematX/LinkedIn
NematX has introduced NEX 01, a high precision extrusion platform that the company says is a 'comprehensive manufacturing solution' for end-use products that meet the 'highest industry standards' and performs in harsh environments.
In 2020, the Zurich-based company first introduced introduced liquid crystal polymers (LCP) for 3D printing. In the same year, the founding team was among the winners of the Formnext Start-up Challenge.
NematX says that by controlling the molecular alignment during the extrusion process, the company can enable parts with “superior” mechanical thermal properties as well as well as chemical and biological properties. The company also suggests that LCP can be processed with significantly higher precision and speed compared to conventional materials.
“LCP has highly attractive properties for 3D printing but the market was lacking a product to optimally process our proprietary materials and to unlock their full potential,” said CTO and Co-founder Silvan Gantenbein.
Gantenbein and his team started to develop their own material extrusion platform, NEX 01, a “comprehensive production solution” with hardware and software to optimally match the materials to be processed.
“With our decision to offer tailored hard and software solutions for our materials, we did not take the path of least resistance,” added CEO and Co-founder Raphael Heeb. “But thanks to our holistic approach, we have the chance to set new standards in polymer 3D printing by combining part performance with high manufacturing precision.”
The NEX 01 platform is designed for the requirements and needs to industrial companies in demanding markets according to NematX. NematX uses in-house developed 3D slicing software and proprietary LCP filaments, which enables serial production of complex technical products with industrial quality according to the company.
NematX says that key features of the system include a high accuracy motion control system, micron-resolution slicing algorithms, precise control of extrusion volume, fully integrated process monitoring, quick build plate exchange system, maximum production throughput, and fully recyclable and reprocessable materials.
