Sculpteo and BASF introduce a new series of materials dedicated to the automotive industry

Sculpteo, in cooperation with BASF, announced the introduction of a new series of 3D printing materials dedicated to the automotive industry. The French company is one of the longest operating and best known companies providing 3D printing services in Europe. Last year it was aquired by BASF – one of the largest chemical concerns in the world, becoming at the same time a kind of ambassador for all technological innovations of the German manufacturer.

The materials created in cooperation are polyamide 6 (PA6) resistant to high temperatures, low-cost polypropylene dedicated to the production of large parts and TPU. The plastics complement the previously introduced filament doped with Ultrafuse 316L steel powder. The new materials were developed at BASF R&D centers in Germany and France and can only be purchased through Sculpteo.

The materials are to facilitate the mass production of components used by the automotive industry. PA6 is a high strength material, resistant to high temperatures. Thanks to the reduced flammability, polyamide 6 prints can be used for components operating at high temperatures (under the hood of the car, as a material for ventilation grilles or headlight housings).

Durable and flexible TPU can be used as material for inlet pipes, dashboard components and personalized dashboards. In turn, low-budget polypropylene is to be designed for printing on BigRep large-format 3D printers in FDM / FFF technology, which allows the production of large components at relatively low costs.

Launching materials via Sculpteo is a very interesting idea. As a result, BASF can produce interesting materials and offer them via Sculpteo, at reasonable prices. The thermoplastics introduced can initiate the production of other highly functional materials that will appear in the Sculpteo offer.

Source: www.sculpteo.com