On 2 November 2020, Netherlands-based Royal DSM, a global science-based company in Nutrition, Health, and Sustainable Living, announced Somos QuickGen 500, a game-changing, fast-printing, general-purpose engineered resin for digital light processing (DLP) and liquid crystal display (LCD) 3D printing. The company continues to expand its materials offerings with this flexible DLP/LCD resin you can check that out and see how it works for you.
A colorless resin, Somos QuickGen 500, has a print speed 2x faster than similar materials. Easy to print, the resin prints with accuracy and is ideal for functional and general prototypes, semi-flexible applications, applications with detailed features, and – due to its translucency – fluid flow analysis.
The new resin offers unique flexibility; it is more flexible than other resins but stiffer than elastomers, offering flexibility and spring back. It is claimed to perform consistently – independent of how quickly force or strain is applied, unlike many flexible materials that show greater influence from the rate of applied force.
DSM worked with their ecosystem partner, San Francisco based company Origin, and the developer of Origin One, an open industrial 3D printer with transformative material development tools to develop and test Somos QuickGen 500. The combination of DSM’s materials science and Origin’s open system platform allowed for the rapid development of this new material.
Chris Prucha, founder, and chief executive officer, Origin, says, “With the introduction of Somos QuickGen 500, our industry now has a material that pushes the boundaries of 3D printing, enabling high performance, fast printing, economical parts. This would not have been possible without the combination of material innovation, open material development technology, and tight collaboration between our two companies.”
Geoff Gardner, Innovations director Additive Manufacturing at DSM, adds, “We’re excited to expand our materials portfolio with Somos QuickGen 500, an engineered resin boasting fast print speeds at an economical cost. DSM continues supporting all manufacturing needs with high-performance materials for all 3D printing technologies.”
DSM divests Resins & Functional Materials to Covestro
DSM and its associated companies deliver annual net sales of about €10 billion (approximately Rs. 85,000 crore), with approximately 23,000 employees. Listed on Euronext Amsterdam, DSM was established in 1902 by the Dutch government to mine coal reserves in the Southern Province of Limburg. It still uses the English translation (Dutch State Mines) of its original name, De Nederlandse Staatsmijnen. The company is now a global science-based company. Readers should note that it has reached an agreement to sell its Resins & Functional Materials and associated businesses (together, “RFM”) to Covestro AG for an Equity Value of €1.6 billion.
The transaction will include all of DSM’s Resins & Functional Materials businesses, including DSM Niaga, DSM Additive Manufacturing, and the coatings activities of DSM Advanced Solar. These businesses represented €1,012 million of DSM’s 2019 total annual net sales – and €133 million of DSM’s 2019 total EBITDA. DSM will provide re-stated figures for its Materials Cluster ahead of its Q3 results. DSM anticipates a book profit on the transaction to be recognized upon closing. DSM expects to receive approximately €1.4 billion net in cash following closing, including repayment of RFM’s net debt, and after transaction costs and capital gains tax.
The combination of RFM and Covestro will create a business of enhanced scale and technological capability. Completion of the transaction, which is subject to the customary conditions and approvals, is expected in H1, 2021.
