A new partnership between 3D printer and materials company Impossible Objects and leading 3D printing specialist Ricoh 3D will make extremely strong and lightweight printed composite parts available to Ricoh 3D’s customers in Europe for the first time.
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Bell cranks created with Impossible Objects’ composite-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) process. (Photo: Business Wire)
Impossible Objects’ revolutionary composite-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) process enables the production of stronger parts at costs lower than any other 3D printing process. Composites boast key advantages for 3D-printed parts, including superior strength-to-weight ratios, fewer geometric restrictions, superior high-temperature performance, and greater chemical resistance.
“Composites are set to be an area of huge growth in additive manufacturing in the coming years. These new materials will change the game across a number of industries,” said Mark Dickin, Additive Manufacturing & Molding Engineering Manager at Ricoh 3D. “Impossible Objects’ CBAM process is nothing short of a revolution in the way composites are manufactured, so we are proud to be working with the company to be at the forefront of the European movement.”
Composites including Carbon Fiber PEEK and Carbon Fiber PA12 are available through Ricoh 3D’s AM service bureau immediately.
“Our CBAM process represents a significant leap forward in 3D printing, with faster speeds, better material properties and wider material selection,” said Robert Swartz, chairman and founder of Impossible Objects. “Fortune 100 companies, government agencies, and more have already put it to work to create everything from car and aircraft parts to athletic gear. By collaborating with the team at Ricoh 3D who recognizes the transformative potential of additive manufacturing, together we will bring these competitive advantages to more organizations across Europe.”
Impossible Objects’ proprietary CBAM technology can produce parts up to ten times faster than conventional fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing. By combining high-performance polymers like Nylon and PEEK with carbon fiber and fiberglass sheets, parts printed with Impossible Objects machines are stronger, lighter, have better dimensional accuracy, and have better temperature performance than what’s possible with conventional 3D printing methods. The CBAM process can create strong and resilient fine or flat parts, which is important for applications like drones; these have been impossible with FDM and FFF technologies due to the short, chopped fiber formation and lamination between layers, which cause parts to fall apart under force.
Ricoh 3D is the latest industry partner to join forces with Impossible Objects to drive additive manufacturing forward. Other collaborators include chemical giant BASF and TIGER Coatings.
Resources:
- Video about the CBAM process
- Data sheets about printing with CBAM through Ricoh 3D
About Impossible Objects
Impossible Objects, a 3D printer and materials company, was founded with the belief that materials science inventions would enable 3D printing to revolutionize the world in the same ways that computers and the Internet have revolutionized the way we live, work and play. The company’s composite-based additive manufacturing technology (CBAM) is an entirely new process that is fundamentally different from conventional additive manufacturing technologies. CBAM parts are stronger, lighter, have better temperature performance, and are more durable than other additive manufacturing technologies on the market. For more information, visit www.impossible-objects.com.
About Ricoh 3D
Ricoh 3D is the additive manufacturing subsidiary of leading technology and digital services company Ricoh. With over 80 years of manufacturing experience, Ricoh 3D are the trusted experts in industrial-grade 3D printing and manufacturing solutions. From design and reverse engineering services, a full range of SLS, MJF and FDM technologies, through to the company’s established injection moulding facilities, Ricoh 3D are engineered to take customers seamlessly from design to prototype to serial production. For further information, visit https://rapidfab.ricoh-europe.com/
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