Oct 3, 2017 | By Tess
Royal DSM, a Dutch multinational specializing in life and materials sciences, has entered into a new partnership with 3D printing service 3D Hubs. Through the agreement, 3D Hubs customers will now have the opportunity to order their prints in Royal DSM’s Somos PerFORM material.
Initially launched in 2014, Somos PerFORM is a composite material marketed for 3D printed tooling parts and molds. Developed for use with stereolithography 3D printing, Somos PerFORM is hailed as having “the lowest viscosity” of any SLA material.
By collaborating with 3D Hubs, a network with 3D printing services in over 150 countries, Royal DSM is aiming to offer its 3D printing material to more makers, increasing its overall accessibility.
According to a press release put out by DSM, its Somos PerFORM 3D printing material is well suited for rapidly producing precise and high-quality molds and tools. Interested clients are invited to request a quote via the 3D Hubs website to see the cost and time for a part to be 3D printed from Somos PerFORM. (Clients can expect a prompt reply within 24 hours.)
3D printed molds and tooling parts are proving to have a number of advantages over traditionally manufactured counterparts. While materials have remained the main obstacle for this 3D printing application, the emergence of stronger and higher-resolution 3D printing materials is enabling the production of molds and tools on a wider scale.
The main benefit of using additive manufacturing for such parts is the turnaround time. That is, while it may have taken weeks to produce tools using traditional manufacturing techniques, the same parts can be made in just days using 3D printing.
As DSM explains, its Somos PerFORM material can help clients to drastically reduce their product development times, because molds and tools can be manufactured in mere days and subsequently tested and verified quickly. If changes need to be made to the mold or tool, the 3D model can simply be tweaked and reprinted.
“We are excited to collaborate with 3D Hubs to offer the market a place where they can obtain high-quality 3D printed tools and service,” commented Brigitte Jacobs, manager of Application Development at Somos, DSM’s branch of SLA materials. “We work closely with 3D Hubs to verify the 3D printing tooling service providers in their network to ensure that the quality and expertise for creating the tooling is top notch.”
Somos PerFORM reportedly offers a “high level of surface smoothness,” as well as good detail, high heat resistance, and good impact strength. It is the combination of these properties that makes the material well suited for producing complex molds which are compatible with materials such as ABS, polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, and glass-filled nylon.
3D Hubs offers 3D printing services in over 150 countries
3D Hubs Ceo Bram de Zwart also commented on the new partnership, saying: “The collaboration with Somos on 3D printed tooling further expands our network of manufacturing services and product offering. We are always targeting to offer our customers cutting edge materials and service. Adding Somos PerFORM to our portfolio expands what our customers can do and allows them to create high-quality 3D printed tools.”
You can order your own Somos PerFORM molds and tools via the 3D Hubs website.
Posted in 3D Printing Service
Maybe you also like:
- T-Bone Cape motion control board launches on Indiegogo
- New extruder could lower costs of 3D printing cellular structures for drug testing
- New Ninja Printer Plate for consumer 3D printing
- mUVe3D releases improved Marlin firmware for all 3D printers
- Zecotek plans HD 3D display for 3D printers
- Add a smart LCD controller to your Robo3D printer
- Maker Kase: a handy cabinet for 3D printers
- Heated bed for ABS printing with the Printrbot Simple XL
- Next gen all metal 3D printer extruder from Micron
- Pico all-metal hotend 100% funded in 48 hours, B3 announces Stretch Goal
- Create it REAL announces first 3D printing Real Time Processor
- A larger and more powerful 3D printer extruder on Kickstarter
3Ders.org provides the latest news about 3D printing technology and 3D printers. We are now seven years old and have around 1.5 million unique visitors per month.
