Lubrizol Corp.’s engineered polymers unit has launched its first thermoplastic polyurethane that is a powder grade, and says the material is the only TPU certified for 3D printing with HP Inc.’s Multi Jet Fusion 4200.
Lubrizol officials said the material, known as Estane 3D TPU M95A, was developed in collaboration with HP and put through an extensive beta testing program conducted by ZiggZagg N.V., a Belgian 3D printing service provider and member of HP’s Digital Manufacturing Network.
The material’s properties make it suitable for prototyping and scale-up manufacturing applications, according to Gert-Jan Nijhuis, director of global strategic marketing for Lubrizol of Wickliffe, Ohio.
“3D printing technology is revolutionizing the manufacturing industry and changing the way we design and produce component parts,” Nijhuis said in a news release.
Lubrizol’s powder material is a flexible thermoplastic similar to nylon 12, with increased elongation and tensile strength, according to the company. The material can be used for an array of applications that require elasticity, good energy rebound, high-impact absorption, abrasion resistance and compression, including footwear and lightweight prostheses, wearables, seals that resist oil and a variety of industrial applications.
HP’s Digital Manufacturing Network is a global community of digital manufacturing service providers capable of helping design, produce, and deliver high quality plastic and metal final parts at scale with HP’s fusion and metal 3D printing solutions, according to HP.