DSM Engineering Plastics

DSM partners with Nexeo boosting the market with 2 new, high-performance filaments for 3D printing

Royal DSM, a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials, is partnering with Nexeo Solutions, a global chemical and plastics distributor, to bring new, high-value, performance filaments to customers who do 3D printing using fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology.

Building on the experience in the 3D printing market, DSM now offers an end product as a filament, instead of its typical raw materials in the form of plastic granules. The partnership allows the two companies to leverage their respective strengths – DSM’s deep materials technology and application know-how, with Nexeo’s extensive global distribution network and strong customer relationships.

The significant growth forecasted in the 3D printing industry coupled with the customer needs for innovation on their current manufacturing processes explain the front step given by the two companies, DSM and Nexeo Solutions, boosting the 3D printer filament market.

The partnership reaffirms the two companies shared commitment to reinforcing an already robust cooperation by expanding their business to the innovative and exciting world of 3D printing. Both companies are convinced that this launch will boost the 3D sector by offering best in class filaments that fill a void in certain demanding markets where some material requirements have been lacking. “The 3D printing sector, and particularly its FDM segment, represents an exciting, high-growth market with huge potential,” notes Fredric Petit, Global Business Director at DSM.

Meanwhile, Gianpaolo Armando, VP EMEA at Nexeo, adds: “Our customers will have access to a brand new range of products specifically developed for 3D printing. As a global distributor, Nexeo Solutions achieves an important innovation milestone on our aim to connect customers and suppliers in simple and unimagined ways.”

DSM has developed two special filament grades Arnitel® ID and Novamid® ID that demonstrate unique material performance in relation to the market’s current offerings of filaments made from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polylactic acid (PLA) resins:

* Arnitel® ID is a highly flexible thermoplastic copolyester widely used in electronics, sports and other high-end applications. It is a filament with excellent UV and chemical resistance compared to other flexible polymers such thermoplastic urethanes (TPUs), and which reaches elongation at break up to 400%. DSM drew on its extensive knowledge of the wire and cable industry to develop Arnitel ID, which exhibits no buckling and offers a higher print speed than existing thermoplastic elastomers in the market. It also exhibits unparalleled layer-to-layer adhesion when compared with the available ABS, PLA and TPU filaments in the 3D printing market.

* Novamid® ID is a premium polyamide originally developed as specialty product line to meet the high-service-level demands of the automotive and electronics industries. Novamid ID is a very ductile and strong polymer that can withstand harsh environments and high temperatures of up to 150 degrees Celsius. It offers excellent layer-to-layer adhesion, strength and toughness compared to other 3D printing materials. The high crystallinity of the polymer allows for designs with overhangs.

With these new materials our customers can start exploring even further the exiting opportunities in 3D printing.

For more information on these materials go to Novamid.com or Arnitel.com.

Interested in testing these materials go to: Nexeo3Dsolutions.com.

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DSM Engineering Plastics
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6130 AA Sittard
Netherlands
+31 46 477 0496
www.dsmep.com

Notes for editors

DSM – Bright Science. Brighter Living.™

Royal DSM is a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials. By connecting its unique competences in life sciences and materials sciences DSM is driving economic prosperity, environmental progress and social advances to create sustainable value for all stakeholders simultaneously. DSM delivers innovative solutions that nourish, protect and improve performance in global markets such as food and dietary supplements, personal care, feed, medical devices, automotive, paints, electrical and electronics, life protection, alternative energy and bio-based materials. DSM and its associated companies deliver annual net sales of about €10 billion with approximately 25,000 employees. The company is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. More information can be found at www.dsm.com.

Nexeo Solutions

Nexeo Solutions is the largest global chemical and plastics distributor with a centralized business model. With operations worldwide, Nexeo offers over 26,000 products used in a broad cross-section of industries, including chemicals manufacturing, oil and gas, paints and coatings, automotive, healthcare and personal care. Nexeo distributes these products in North America, EMEA, and Asia. The company provides broad logistics capabilities, in-depth market knowledge, dedicated technical expertise and Environmental Services. As a private company employing more than 2,500 employees, Nexeo connects a network of over 1,200 suppliers with a diverse base of more than 28,000 customers. Learn more at www.nexeosolutions.com.

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