05.21.19
BASF 3D Printing Solutions and strategic partner Origin, an open-platform additive-manufacturing printer provider, are collaborating with ECCO, a footwear manufacturer to develop a wholly new approach to footwear production.
ECCO Group is using the Origin platform with BASF’s Ultracur3D material at its R&D Center in its Denmark headquarters. The initial results demonstrate outstanding detail accuracy and mechanical stability with Origin’s unique programmable polymerization process (P3).
Origin’s goal, together with materials partners such as BASF 3D Printing Solutions (BASF 3DPS), is to establish additive manufacturing as a suitable solution for mass production. Origin’s open platform coupled with BASF’s materials enables the sharpest-possible focus on end-customer applications to meet even the most challenging requirements.
"Origin's newly developed printing system is optimally tuned for our innovative Ultracur3D photopolymer series," said Arnaud Guedou, business director Photopolymer Solutions, BASF 3DPS. "This enables end-users to achieve high processing speeds and a superb surface finish that faithfully reproduces even the finest textures and ensures outstanding mechanical stability. We have worked shoulder to shoulder with our customers and know that we need to provide market-beating customized solutions in terms of surface finish, mechanical properties, price-per-part produced, and productivity. The combination of Origin's technology with BASF's materials is extremely promising, as the initial results and first functional prototypes of the collaboration clearly illustrate."
The Ultracur3D product line by BASF 3DPS includes proven as well as newly developed photopolymers for use in various printing processes such as digital light processing, stereolithography, or with LCD equipment, and now with Origin’s P3 process. The suite of Ultracur3D products features excellent strength and impact resistance, high elasticity and impressive long-term UV stability. It is suitable for the production of prototypes as well as for mass production in practically all major industries.
"Not only did we work closely with BASF to develop new materials, but also the 3D printing processes for each of them," said Charlie Vestner, SVP sales & marketing, Origin. "In close consultation together we determined how we can achieve specific high-quality resolutions and process control that suit our customers and their applications perfectly. We offer customers unrivaled control over the printing process – not just in designing their product, but also in the sheer scope of design options it offers, meaning it can be tailored precisely to each specific application."
