Additive Manufacturing Special Report - November 2023 - 15

The Transformative Power
of Innovations in
Additive Materials
T
he slow but steady ascent of
additive manufacturing (AM)
into mainstream production
environments is changing how
products of all kinds are designed,
made, and delivered. The evolution
of advanced materials is further
elevating the industry by empowering
end-use parts and products with
improved physical properties for
greater utilization at lower costs as
well as faster delivery and less waste.
According to research firm SmarTech
Analysis, polymer AM technologies are
forecasted to move into a multitude
of industries over the next decade,
with print production growing to
nearly $26 billion annually by 2030.
In compiling research, the industry
watcher looked at AM polymer parts
spanning prototypes, tools, and
tooling, as well as end-use production
parts across eight industry segments,
including automotive, aerospace,
consumer goods, energy, and medical.
In particular, the polymer science
involved in developing additive
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SPECIAL REPORT
materials for 3D printing is inherently
more complicated than the science
used to produce materials for
traditional manufacturing. Moreover,
today's 3D-printing platforms often
lack the stringent process controls
found in CNC and injection molding,
which adds another layer of difficulty.
Tracing the trajectory of additive
materials is inextricably linked to
emerging processes to extract
greater value from existing and
new polymer combinations. A
holistic look at both is key to closing
market gaps while ushering in new
manufacturing innovations.
Prioritizing Polymer Science
As adoption of AM accelerates, so
does demand for new and improved
materials, as well as proven use cases
and performance validations. One of
the biggest constraints currently is
the need to increase the availability of
better-performing materials. Companies
that prioritize polymer science will be
among the first to disrupt the market by
elevating commodity resins with valueadded
attributes to improve usability
for a larger swath of applications.
Among the most frequently
used plastic materials, ongoing
developments are taking place with
polyamides (known as nylons),
ABS thermoplastic (acrylonitrile
butadiene styrene), PLA (polylactic
acid), and PC (polycarbonate)
materials. Each of these has distinct
advantages and drawbacks in terms
of polymer properties, performance
characteristics, and printability.
Many, if not all, of the most popular
additive materials can be enhanced
through refinement of polymer
formulations and compounding
processes. Highly specialized skills in
controlling the morphology and particle
crystallization are needed, requiring
chemists and scientists to create
and iterate new material formulas.
For example, Nylon 6/6 is one of
the most widely used commercial
nylons for injection molding. As a
highly crystalline polymer, Nylon 6/6
NOVEMBER 2023 15
Additive Manufacturing Special Report - November 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Additive Manufacturing Special Report - November 2023
