Additive Manufacturing Processes for Plastics

Today, plastic has become indispensable in our everyday lives. Despite its general reputation, it is an essential basis of many high-tech products. Its appearance can be altered at will and it meets a wide variety of requirements.

Some plastics important to technology, such as Polyamide 12 or ABS, can already be reliably processed using additive techniques. When it comes to photopolymers, a wide range of properties (such as transparency, color, Shore hardness can be imparted to materials.

However, we are currently unable to use additive techniques for all applications because some of the materials required for them cannot be processed. We are working on better processes to extend the range of materials, as well as to improve component quality. Established additive technologies form the basis, such as SLS (selective laser sintering), FLM (fused layer modeling), Polyjet® (Photo Polymer Jetting), binder jetting and stereolithography.