Impossible Objects' composite-based 3D printing technology is to be made available to customers across Europe via a new partnership with Ricoh 3D.
From today, the collaboration will see strong and lightweight 3D printed composite parts made from Carbon Fiber, PEEK and Carbon Fiber PA12 offered for the first time through Ricoh 3D’s European additive manufacturing (AM) service bureau in what Ricoh 3D’s Additive Manufacturing & Molding Engineering Manager Mark Dickin described as “an area of huge growth in additive manufacturing in the coming years.”
Dickin said: “Impossible Objects’ CBAM process is nothing short of a revolution in the way composites are manufactured, so we are proud to be working with the company to be at the forefront of the European movement.”
First introduced in 2017, Impossible Objects’ proprietary CBAM (composite-based additive manufacturing) technology is said to produce parts up to ten times faster than conventional extrusion-based 3D printing. By combining high-performance polymers like Nylon and PEEK with carbon fiber and fiberglass sheets, the CBAM process can create strong and resilient fine or flat parts, which have been previously impossible to produce with FDM and FFF technologies due to the short, chopped fiber formation and lamination between layers. The Illinois-based company launched its latest machine the CBAM-2 system back in 2019 following the success of its Model One system which was adopted by major customers including Ford Motor Company, Jabil and the United States Air Force. The company has since established partnerships with materials companies including BASF and TIGER Coatings. Meanwhile, Ricoh has been involved in the AM industry for a long time through its own AM hardware offering, services and training programmes, and just last month announced the launch of a new design optimisation service which leans on generative design and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) tools.
“Our CBAM process represents a significant leap forward in 3D printing, with faster speeds, better material properties and wider material selection,” said Robert Swartz, chairman and founder of Impossible Objects. “Fortune 100 companies, government agencies, and more have already put it to work to create everything from car and aircraft parts to athletic gear. By collaborating with the team at Ricoh 3D who recognises the transformative potential of additive manufacturing, together we will bring these competitive advantages to more organisations across Europe.”
