DSM's Arnilene AM6001GF (G) granules are used in 3D printing of fused granulate fabrication technology Photo DSM
Royal DSM, a global company in nutrition, health and sustainable living, has launched a new glass-filled polypropylene (PP) pellet material developed especially for 3D printing. It enables the production of structural applications using fused granulate fabrication technology.
Widely used for its mechanical, thermal, and chemical performance, polypropylene (PP) is the second most frequently used polymer worldwide. Automotive, industrial or infrastructure manufacturers looking to adopt additive manufacturing technology for low volume or decentralized production – where the elimination of tools helps decrease cost – want to typically use the same material they are familiar with from traditional manufacturing.
To meet this growing need, DSM is introducing a glass-filled PP for fused granulate fabrication (FGF), suitable for additive manufacturing. Arnilene AM6001GF (G) – the (G) stands for granulates – stems from the same base material used in high volume production and is optimized for FGF 3D printing. By combining materials know-how, expertise in modeling and simulation, design for additive (versus traditional manufacturing), and printing expertise, DSM secured all of the desirable mechanical, thermal, and chemical performance of glass-filled PP with the flexibility of a proven 3D process.
The new Arnilene AM6001GF (G) is ideal for the direct printing of structural, lightweight applications for automotive, infrastructure and water management, and tooling. Geoff Gardner, innovations director Additive Manufacturing at DSM, commented, “Availability of engineering-grade materials with the right property set is the next step in the additive manufacturing revolution. Developed by our experts, Arnilene AM6001GF (G) offers industrial customers an industry-standard material with robust mechanical, thermal, and chemical performance in an additive manufacturing format. Using a material they already have experience with, they can fully focus on 3D printing and its benefits for their business.”
2023 promises an interesting ride for print in India
Indian Printer and Publisher founded in 1979 is the oldest B2B trade publication in the multi-platform and
multi-channel IPPGroup. While the print and packaging industries have been resilient in the past 33 months since the pandemic lockdown of 25 March 2020, the commercial printing and newspaper industries have yet to recover their pre-Covid trajectory.
The fragmented commercial printing industry faces substantial challenges as does the newspaper industry.
While digital short-run printing and the signage industry seem to be recovering a bit faster, ultimately
their growth will also be moderated by the progress of the overall economy. On the other hand book
printing exports are doing well but they too face several supply-chain and logistics challenges.
The price of publication papers including newsprint has been high in the past year while availability is diminished by several mills shutting down their publication paper and newsprint machines in the past four years. Indian paper mills are also exporting many types of paper and have raised prices for Indian printers. To some extent, this has helped in the recovery of the digital printing industry with its on-demand short-run and low-wastage paradigm.
Ultimately digital print and other digital channels will help print grow in a country where we are still far behind in our paper and print consumption and where digital is a leapfrog technology that will only increase the demand for print in the foreseeable future. For instance, there is no alternative to a rise in textbook consumption but this segment will only reach normality in the next financial year beginning on 1 April 2023.
Thus while the new normal is a moving target and many commercial printers look to diversification, we believe that our target audiences may shift and change. Like them, we will also have to adapt with agility to keep up with their business and technical information needs.
Our 2023 media kit is ready, and it is the right time to take stock and reconnect with your potential markets and customers. Print is the glue for the growth of liberal education, new industry, and an emerging economy. We seek your participation in what promises to be an interesting ride.
