Available through MakerBot LABS™, these new materials offer advanced properties that are ideal for manufacturing applications
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — December 10, 2020 — MakerBot, a global leader in 3D printing and subsidiary of Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq: SSYS), today announces that three new Kimya ABS composite materials by ARMOR have been qualified for MakerBot LABS™ for the MakerBot METHOD X® 3D printer.
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Composites are one of the most in-demand material categories for manufacturing applications due to their enhanced properties compared to unfilled thermoplastics. The new materials include Kimya ABS Kevlar for parts with high strength, abrasion-resistance, and dimensional stability; Kimya ABS-ESD, which protects against electrostatic discharges; and Kimya ABS-EC, a new and unique material that is electrically-conductive. Parts 3D printed with composite materials can often replace traditionally-manufactured parts, resulting in significant time and cost savings. ARMOR, for example, has demonstrated cost savings of up to 80% compared to traditional manufacturing methods by 3D printing tools and fixtures with the ABS Kevlar material in its own production facilities. ARMOR Group specializes in the industrial formulation of innovative materials and thin film coating and is the global market leader in the design and manufacturing of thermal transfer ribbons for printing variable traceability data on labels and flexible packaging.
With its up to 110°C heated chamber and ability to control the speed at which parts cool during the printing process, METHOD can print strong manufacturing-grade parts from advanced engineering materials more successfully than traditional desktop 3D printers. Users can also produce parts that have internal structures or complex geometries on METHOD when printing with Stratasys® SR-30™ soluble supports.
Kimya ABS Kevlar, Kimya ABS-ESD, and Kimya ABS-EC are available to print on the METHOD X 3D printer with the new MakerBot LABS GEN 2 Experimental Extruder, the latest edition of the LABS extruder. The GEN 2 Experimental Extruder is optimized to print more abrasive third-party composites and polymers for longer periods of time due to its upgraded hardened-steel components, such as the hardened gears and a metal filament switch designed to reduce wear from these materials.
“The MakerBot LABS extruder provides METHOD users access to a wide variety of 3D printing materials from third-party suppliers," said Johan-Till Broer, VP of Product Development, MakerBot. “The three new ABS composite materials from Kimya continue our expansion into advanced engineering materials that unlock new manufacturing applications. With its up to 110°C heated chamber, METHOD is the first truly industrial 3D printing platform in its price class, delivering higher precision and strength than desktop 3D printers.”
“The ability to 3D print Kimya composites like ABS Kevlar and Carbon Fiber on the MakerBot METHOD X has given us a unique combination of tool-grade part performance and high precision in an extremely affordable and accessible package. In our own manufacturing facility, we’ve been able to replace several traditionally-manufactured parts with printed parts gaining a savings of up to 99.4% per part,” said Pierre-Antoine Pluvinage, Business Director, ARMOR 3D.
The new additions to MakerBot’s materials portfolio bring the total number of materials available for METHOD customers to 23. The new materials include:
- Kimya ABS Kevlar – Kimya ABS Kevlar is an extremely strong yet lightweight and durable material that is known for its use in bullet proof vests and race tires. Reinforced with aramid fibers, this is a composite filament that gives finished 3D printed parts greater strength and dimensional stability. The addition of aramid fibers reduces shrinkage to achieve high precision and high resistance to abrasion. Due to its properties, Kimya ABS Kevlar is ideal for jigs, fixtures, tolls, and end use parts, such as robotic end effectors and protective gear.
- Kimya ABS-ESD – This is an ABS material which has been formulated to possess electrostatic discharge (ESD) properties, which protects against electrostatic discharges that can cause damages to electronics systems and create fire and personal safety hazards. Kimya ABS-ESD is a lightweight and rigid material that offers good impact resistance. The material is easy to print, and is ideal for applications that require protection against electrostatic discharge, such as electronics housings and production fixtures.
- Kimya ABS-EC – Kimya ABS-EC is a new and unique composite material consisting of ABS with the addition of carbon nanotubes, an electrically-active additive. The material allows for the circulation of electrons along its surface, making it electrically-conductive (EC). The material is also resistant to impact, heat, and ageing. Its unique properties open up new applications in the automotive and electronics industry, such as touch sensors.
Kimya ABS Carbon and PETG Carbon are also available for METHOD through MakerBot LABS. Kimya materials can be purchased online.
METHOD is able to print a variety of materials, including ABS, PC-ABS, Nylon 12 Carbon Fiber, ASA, and PETG, as well as a host of materials from partners. The platform’s modularity allows users to easily switch between the six different extruders that MakerBot offers for different material groups and applications. Partners in the MakerBot LABS Materials Development Program include Kimya by ARMOR Group, Polymaker, BASF 3D Printing Solutions, Jabil, LEHVOSS Group, and Mitsubishi Chemical.
For more information, visit www.makerbot.com/method.
About MakerBot
MakerBot, a Stratasys company, is a global leader in the 3D printing industry. The company helps create the innovators of today and the businesses and learning institutions of the future. Founded in 2009 in Brooklyn, NY, MakerBot strives to redefine the standards for 3D printing for reliability, accessibility, precision, and ease-of-use. Through this dedication, MakerBot has one of the largest install bases in the industry and also runs Thingiverse, the largest 3D printing community in the world.
We believe there's an innovator in everyone, so we make the 3D printing tools that make your ideas matter. Discover innovation with MakerBot 3D printing.
To learn more about MakerBot, visit makerbot.com, the MakerBot blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook. Stratasys (parent company of MakerBot) reserves the right to utilize any of the foregoing social media platforms, including the company's websites, to share material, non-public information pursuant to the SEC's Regulation FD. To the extent necessary and mandated by applicable law, Stratasys will also include such information in its public disclosure filings.
MakerBot, MakerBot LABS, MakerBot METHOD, MakerBot METHOD X, and METHOD are trademarks or registered marks of MakerBot Industries, LLC. STRATASYS and SR-30 are trademarks of Stratasys, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statement
The statements in this press release relating to Stratasys’ and/or MakerBot's beliefs regarding the benefits consumers will experience from using the Kimya ABS composite materials, MakerBot LABS for METHOD materials, MakerBot LABS Experimental Extruder, and the METHOD platform are forward-looking statements reflecting management's current expectations and beliefs. These forward-looking statements are based on current information that is, by its nature, subject to rapid and even abrupt change. Due to risks and uncertainties associated with Stratasys' business, actual results could differ materially from those projected or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the degree of our success at introducing new or improved products and solutions that gain market share; the degree of growth of the 3D printing market generally; the duration of the global COVID-19 pandemic, which, if extensive, may continue to impact, in a material adverse manner, our operations, financial position and cash flows, and those of our customers and suppliers; the impact of potential shifts in the prices or margins of the products that we sell or services that we provide, including due to a shift towards lower-margin products or services; the impact of competition and new technologies; potential further charges against earnings that we could be required to take due to impairment of additional goodwill or other intangible assets; to the extent of our success at successfully consummating acquisitions or investments in new businesses, technologies, products or services; potential changes in our management and board of directors; global market, political and economic conditions, and in the countries in which we operate in particular (including risks related to the impact of coronavirus on our operations, supply chain, liquidity, cash flow and customer orders; costs and potential liability relating to litigation and regulatory proceedings; risks related to infringement of our intellectual property rights by others or infringement of others' intellectual property rights by us; the extent of our success at maintaining our liquidity and financing our operations and capital needs; the impact of tax regulations on our results of operations and financial condition; and other risk factors set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in Stratasys’ most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 26th, 2020. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made throughout our 2019 Annual Report and the Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K that attaches Stratasys’ unaudited, condensed consolidated financial statements and its review of its results of operations and financial condition, for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2020, which we furnished to the SEC on May 14, 2020, and our other reports filed with or furnished to the SEC, which are designed to advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Any guidance provided, and other forward-looking statements made, in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and Stratasys and MakerBot undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
