![]() Once the baffle patent expires that Stratasys holds, there should be some decent printers out there that utilize similar tech.” There are a few out there, but most are rough at best. The key to utilizing functional materials is higher-performance 3D printers that can offer multi-material printing (at least model and support), heated bed and chamber, 400+ ☌ extruders, and at least a 300mm x 300mm x 300mm envelope. The market is full of what I affectionately call “Yoda head printers”. ![]() “We can make filaments that are beyond what most printers can utilize. Leveraging 25 years of experience in the high-performance polymers industry, 3DXTECH develops solutions to difficult, technical end-use applications. ![]() “We need to be able to provide full ecosystem solutions: advanced materials designed for 3D Printing, better interfaces in CAD software for better design, drying solutions.”ģDXTECH, located in West Michigan, just outside of Grand Rapids, was started in 2014 by Matt Howlett to focus on specialty formulations. What do you think needs to happen in order for 3D printing (both desktop and professional) to become more widely adopted? Which are the materials you sell most of?Ĭo-polyester (PET family) , PLA, Specials (Metal Wood), Composites.ĥ. “Our primary customers are the OEM’s (3D printer builders), followed by the consumer and education sectors.”Ĥ. Who are your biggest customers: consumers, education sector, professional sector (designers/architects/researchers) or manufacturing sector? B2B / industrial materials will facilitate more growth every year.”ģ. “We have been growing double digit every year. How has your business evolved over the last 3 years and how much do you expect the market to keep growing? “Designing new innovative materials, keeping a fair level of differentiation with the competition at reasonable pricing.”Ģ. Which are the biggest challenges you face as a 3D printing filament manufacturer? Now Colorfabb is run by a multidisciplinary team and is considered to be one of the top leading and most innovative companies in the filament manufacturing segment.ġ. Back in the summer of 2012 the first experiments started, which gradually led to the official launch of the brand Colorfabb in March 2013. As an expert in the field of additives and masterbatches for the plastic industry he set out to develop high-quality 3D printing filament. With this roundup we asked them where this industry can and will arrive.ĬolorFabb was founded by Ruud Rouleaux. Although each company focuses on specific material and specific customer segments (Industrial, Professional, Consumers, Makers and Education), all the experts who participate in this article report explosive growth and are very optimistic for the future. Others like EUMAKERS, PrintALot, 3D Printlife, Formfutura and eSun (these last two are not yet included but will be in future updates) have brought filament 3D printing to more people and in more parts of the world than ever, targeting specifically consumer and the education segment.Īs 3D printing expands it also evolves more and more into a true industrial production newer companies continue to evolve their offer and technological capabilities. ![]() The people in this list include pioneers such as Ruud Rouleaux, who founded colorFabb and built it into one of the world’s largest filament manufacturers, and Thomas Martzall, who was among the first to offer advanced nylons for extrusion 3D printing.ĭario Negrelli Pizzigoni, Josef Dolecek and the team a FiloAlfa, along with Matt Howlett from 3DXTech and Thomas Martzall from Taulman 3D, have been at the forefront of advanced and innovative materials development. In this expert roundup we have decided to focus on some of the people that first, and before many others, have contributed their expertise and have built the filament industry’s foundations. Not to mention that NatureWorks, the largest producer of PLA in the world, has recently begun focusing specifically on 3D printing. So much so that even giants such as SABIC, Verbatim (Mitsubishi) and others have begun to target it, while other large companies such as Covestro (Bayer) and Eastman Chemical partnered directly with companies operating in the low-cost 3D printing arena. ![]() Stay up to date with everything that is happening in the wonderful world of AM via our LinkedIn community.Īlthough it started almost as a game, today 3D printing filament manufacturing for low-cost 3D printers is an industry. ![]()
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