Arkema SA will open a 3D printing center at its Sartomer facility in Exton, Pa.
The French specialty chemical supplier announced July 26 that Sartomer will aim to develop “cutting-edge” 3D printing resins in collaboration with its partners at the site.
Sartomer is a business line of Arkema and specializes in engineered resins for UV-curable additive manufacturing marketed under the N3xtDimension brand.
The photo-cure 3D printing materials, according to Arkema, yield products with thermoplastic-like mechanical properties for applications such as dental, sports and electronics.
The new 3D printing research facility, which is set to open July 30, will feature UV-based technologies such as stereolithography (SLA), digital light processing (DLP) and multi jet printing (MJP).
The lab will be part of the French group's existing research network for 3D printing, a segment which Arkema has identified as a driver of future growth.
The new lab, according to Sumeet Jain, global director 3D printing at Sartomer, will support development of new materials.