3D printing - Materials

Researchers have developed a method to perform direct ink writing 3D printing of milk-based products at room temperature, while maintaining its temperature sensitive nutrients.

Researchers have developed a biocompatible material that can be 3D-printed into any shape and pre-programmed with reversible shape memory. The material is made using keratin, a fibrous protein found in hair, nails and shells. The researchers extracted the keratin from leftover Agora wool used in textile manufacturing.

A viscous biopaste that is easy to process, solidifies quickly and is suitable for producing even complex structures using the 3D printing process has been developed. The wood-based biodegradable synthetic could potentially be used in lightweight construction, amongst other things.

The construction industry is currently facing two major challenges: the demand for sustainable infrastructure and the need to repair deteriorating buildings, bridges and roads. Researchers report progress toward a sustainable building material made from local soil, using a 3D printer to create a load-bearing structure.

Architects and marine scientists have jointly developed a novel method for coral restoration making use of specially designed 3D printed artificial 'reef tiles' for attachment by corals to enhance their chance of survival .

Nexa3D and Henkel announced commercial availability of xMED412, a polypropylene-like material that is ideal for manufacturing a variety of biocompatible, medical and wearable devices.

In the 3D printing industry, tradition ties companies to the technology they have always used, to the best practices defined decades ago and to the design practices tuned for legacy manufacturing processes.

Metal additive manufacturing has been on the rise for many years. Predominantly led by the adoption in high value applications like aerospace & defence and medical. The majority of printer processes use a powder feedstock. This is mainly for powder bed fusion but material jetting and binder jetting are also gaining traction (each with different material requirements and economics).

Researchers have set a new world record: they 3D printed complex objects with higher cellulose content than that of any other additively manufactured cellulose-​based parts. To achieve this, they used a clever trick.