3D4Makers
3D4Makers Extruder prototype
3D4Makers Marketing and Sales Manager, Ardy Struijk in front of a prototype of the 3D4Makers Filament Extruder.
3D4Makers, a producer of high-performance filaments, has developed a new extrusion process whereby filament does not require water during cooling.
The Dutch company, led by father and son, Jan-Peter and Jasper Wille, have been able to produce stronger materials at lower temperatures, with this new method. A long-term aim of the 3D4Makers, since filament can be damaged over time in more traditional process that use water, the Willes are proud to pioneer their inventive 3D printing technology.
Jan-Peter has three decades worth of experience in polymers, while his son, Jasper, has seamlessly picked up 3D printing through his youth. Problems with the filament they have used in the past have included breaking, bubbling, roundness issues and tolerance problems. Not satisfied with the quality of filament available on the market, they have sought to produce stronger, more printable filament of their own.
Initially, 3D4Makers team, comprising of just Jan-Peter and Jasper, thought the build of an extruder capable of making filament to their high standards, would be a short project. It took two years, and involved bringing Servan Bakker, Robert Becker and Ardy Struijk on board. Bakker, who has 13 years of experience building industrial extruders, helped them with his vast experience in making nozzles for high volume polymer extrusion for 3D printing. Becker, invested in the idea and took responsibility for the website and all other IT aspects, while Struijk took care of the marketing and sales.
Nieves Cubo Mateo
3D4Makers 3D printed tissue
3D-Printed meniscus scaffold made with PCL99 material.
Together, and after two years of hard work, they have been able to deliver a solution to the Wille family’s problem. Their extruder is now able to make high quality filament using a multiple jet air cooling system to precisely manage the cooling of the filament without the need for water. Such is the pride for their innovation and its reception in the industry, all five members of the team now have shares in the company.
“[I am] proud of the team and myself for coming this far against all odds,” said Struijk. “[I’m] incredibly excited that so many research institutes are using 3D4Makers’ filament for emerging research in bioprinting. It just blows me away that people are using our PLLA and PCL filaments for things such as scaffolds for biofabrication in making things such as skin and organs.”
Jasper Wille added: “[I am] very proud that our start-up serves dozens of universities and research institutions worldwide with high temperature materials such as PEEK, since so few companies of any size have managed to make PEEK filament this successfully.”
Nieves Cubo Mateo
3D4Makers 3D-printed Meniscus PCL99
Nieves Cubo Mateo is an R&D engineer in 3D-printed medicine for Spanish medical technology company, Exovite. The company has utilised 3D4Makers’ PCL 99 in 3D-printed models of meniscus, a cartilage found in the knee.
3D4Makers claims their extruder gives unique capabilities, the filament better ovality and the layer adhesion of 3D printed is significantly improved. Parts 3D printed with 3D4Makers materials also exhibit higher impact resistance than parts made from other filaments.
A 3D printing filament specialist, 3D4Makers boasts an exemplary portfolio, which includes materials such as PLA, ABS and PEEK. The company has also become the first worldwide to develop PCL (polycaprolactone) filament, which comes in two grades: 99% pure and 100% pure. This PCL filament has been most effective in the medical sector, and has had an international impact.
Nieves Cubo Mateo is an R&D engineer in 3D-printed medicine for Spanish medical technology company, Exovite. The company, and particularly Cubo Mateo, have utilised 3D4Makers’ PCL 99 material in 3D-printed models of meniscus, a cartilage found in the knee.
“They are just trials of the material, printed as a meniscus, with hydrogels in their inside, where cells would be seeded,” she said. “We are characterising the material in order to know how 3D printing affects its properties, as we know that the fabrication process can change them dramatically. We are studying how some parameters as temperature and speed can affect the final properties of the material.”
