Desktop Metal, Inc., a global leader in Additive Manufacturing 2.0 technologies for mass production, and Evonik, a leading materials provider in 3D printing technology based in Germany, have expanded their partnership for material development with the qualification of INFINAM® ST 6100 L on the ETEC Xtreme 8K and Pro XL.
Evonik INFINAM® ST 6100 L is a high-strength photopolymer that sets the standard for 3D printing materials. With an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 90 MPa, flexural stress of 135 MPa, and heat deflection temperature (HDT) of 120 °C, the material also provides excellent accuracy, surface finish, and resistance to many chemicals and UV degradation.
Partnership for material development
Desktop Metal’s ETEC brand for polymer 3D printing is a pioneer in Digital Light Processing (DLP) hardware and offers a carefully curated portfolio of the world’s best AM materials.
“Desktop Metal is delighted to add Evonik and its INFINAM® material to our highly selective portfolio of polymers, as we continue to offer customers the flagship material solutions in each performance class, ranging from stiff rigid plastics to high strength-to-weight ratio elastomers and foams.”
– Walter Voit, Senior Vice President for Polymer Materials at Desktop Metal
Voit added, “Our hardware systems offer the size, speed, and quality required for high-throughput Additive Manufacturing 2.0 production of premium photoresins like ST 6100L.”
Vitor Lavini, head of Evonik’s photopolymer market segment in the company’s Additive Manufacturing Innovation Growth Field said, “Collaboration with customers and partners is an important driver of innovation for us. The validation of ST 6100 L on Desktop Metal’s printers – especially the ETEC Xtreme 8K – fits with Evonik’s vision that larger and faster DLP printers will increase productivity, substantially reduce costs per part, and enable series production in the long run.”
INFINAM® ST 6100 L’s properties make it ideal for 3D printing moulds, models, and tooling, as well as end-of-use parts in the aerospace, automotive, and electronics industries. INFINAM® ST 6100 3D printing allows for precise features and smooth surface finishes, especially with the ETEC Pro XL’s 65 μm resolution. Parts printed in this material can also be machined and polished, among other post-processing methods.
High-Throughput Production with Breakthrough Materials
DLP is a 3D printing process that has been in use since 1999. It uses the power of a video projector’s light to cure photosensitive liquid resins into parts layer by layer, one quick flash at time. DLP is one of the fastest and most accurate forms of polymer 3D printing, providing high accuracy and a smooth surface finish while maintaining consistent material properties.
The ETEC Xtreme 8K is the world’s largest industrial-grade DLP printer designed for high-volume production. The Xtreme 8K, with a 66-liter build volume and two overhead projectors, is ideal for high-throughput tooling, end-use part applications, and large-part production. The ETEC Xtreme 8K has a build volume of 450 x 371 x 399 mm (17.72 x 14.61 x 15.71 in). The system is manufactured at Desktop Metal’s Polymer Centre of Excellence in Richardson, Texas.
The ETEC Pro XL, priced under $40,000, is a premium DLP printer with 385 nm wavelength technology, 5mW/cm2 power, and Hyperprint™ closed-loop printing. These features work together to deliver premium results at high speeds. The ETEC Pro XL has a size of 249.1 x 140.1 x 165.1 mm (9.8 x 5.5 x 6.5 inches).
Parts 3D printed on the ETEC Xtreme 8K in Evonik INFINAM® ST 6100 L material will be on display at the Evonik booth P12, Salon D, during the 2024 Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) Conference in Chicago, March 10-14.
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