Technology company Kodak is making further inroads into the additive manufacturing market today with the release of new high-temperature 3D printing materials for the engineering sector. The filaments, offered through KODAK 3D Printing, include Acrylic and Nylon 6/66/12. The company has also introduced new accessories for its KODAK Portrait 3D printer, which will enable existing users to work with a wider combination of materials.
After announcing its entry into 3D printing in 2017, Kodak—best known for its photographic products—launched its Portrait 3D printer at Formnext 2018, along with a series of filaments (including one in its signature yellow hue). The desktop 3D printer is aimed primarily at the professional market and, at its launch, offered compatibility with the following materials: PLA, ABS, Flex 98, HIPS, PETG, two grades of Nylon and water-soluble PVA.
Today, the material range for the KODAK Portrait 3D printer expands slightly, with new Acrylic and Nylon 6/66/12 filaments.
The first material, Acrylic, is characterized by polycarbonate properties (such as high rigidity and light conductivity) as well as easy printing. The new material is reportedly well suited for optical applications because of its light conductivity and transparency. The new filament is also low-friction, making it fitting for moveable parts, as well as resistant to high temperatures.
Nylon 6/66/12, for its part, offers greater flexibility than traditional Nylon and a much lower warping risk—especially when printed on the enclosed KODAK Portrait 3D printer, which was built for high-temp engineering materials. The new Nylon 6/66/12 filament is ideal for printing parts that require strength, tensile resistance and fine details.
Finally, Kodak has also introduced a new series of accessories for the KODAK Portrait 3D printer, which will unlock more material combinations for the machine’s dual extrusion system. Among the new accessories are two mirrored E3D hotends (one made from metal and the other made from PTFE). These hotends can replace one of the two in the printer so users can use two all-metal or all-PTFE hotends on the same build. This, says the company, will enable the printing of dual material prints using two high-temperature or two low-temperature materials.
“We are laser focused on our users,” said Roberto Gawianski, CEO of Smart International, the authorized brand licensee of Kodak’s 3D printing products. “Every new material and accessory we develop is application driven, aimed at solving engineering problems with parts capable of withstanding a wider and wider range of resistances and industry needs. The market demand for 3D Printing is ever-evolving, and KODAK 3D Printing aims to be a forerunner in bringing new innovations to life.”
