Working together, the companies are developing an optimized software, hardware, and advanced materials ecosystem with the goal of accelerating industrial production with polymer laser sintering.
When hardware, software and materials are developed together, it simplifies the design to print process, making it easier for customers to adopt polymer additive processes in a production environment. The three companies are showcasing their latest collaborative developments at the TCT Asia show in Shanghai, running February 21 to 23.
“This evolving market needs much more than materials alone. It is essential to enable and leverage key strategic partnerships throughout the digital design and manufacturing chain. It’s all about synergies,” said Guillaume de Crevoisier, Arkema’s Global Business Director for 3D printing.
The goal is to create the best possible customer experience. Autodesk, a leading global software company leverages its state-of-the-art end-to-end design and manufacturing software capabilities optimized for Farsoon’s leading polymer laser sintering hardware and open platform system. From an advanced materials standpoint, Arkema, a global designer of advanced materials, offers industry leading polymer performance with its biobased Rilsan® polyamide 11 material – a polymer with superior strength and durability, and a seventy year legacy in extreme applications around the world.
As a result of this collaboration, companies using Autodesk’s Netfabb® and Fusion 360® software can easily select the machine and material configuration optimized for process parameters validated by both Farsoon and Arkema. Integrating the processing parameters of Arkema’s polyamide 11 and Farsoon’s advanced hardware within Autodesk’s software enables users to easily access the information they need to accelerate a complete workflow from design to print.
“With this collaboration we have also introduced Rilsan® polyamide 11 as a materials option into our generative design technology,” said Leanne Gluck, Additive Manufacturing Strategy Lead, Autodesk. “This makes it possible for Fusion 360 customers to rapidly create hundreds of generative design outcomes that are ready to print.”
By fostering an open ecosystem which encourages the easy collaboration of machine, software, and material companies, the future of additive manufacturing will have a wider range of possibilities when it comes to application development. Farsoon, a company with a strong technical background in laser sintering technology as well as material sciences, has championed open systems since its founding. By offering a full line of polymer and metal laser sintering and melting systems, all with open parameters and materials, Farsoon is well suited to working with Arkema materials as well as integrating with Autodesk software.
“We are very excited to take part in this three way collaboration along with Autodesk and Arkema” said Don Xu, Farsoon’s Global Business Director. “Our three companies bring unique expertise in complementary fields related to polymer additive manufacturing and I look forward to bringing new and innovative solutions to the industry.”
Rilsan® is a registered trademark of Arkema. Autodesk® , Fusion 360® and Netfabb® are registered trademarks of Autodesk.
About Arkema
A designer of materials and innovative solutions, Arkema shapes materials and creates new uses that accelerate customer performance. Our balanced business portfolio spans High Performance Materials, Industrial Specialties and Coating Solutions. Our globally recognized brands are ranked among the leaders in the markets we serve. Reporting annual sales of €8.3 billion ($9.4 billion) in 2017, we employ around 20,000 people worldwide and operate in some 55 countries. We are committed to active engagement with all our stakeholders. Our research centers in North America, France and Asia concentrate on advances in bio-based products, new energies, water management, electronic solutions, lightweight materials and design, home efficiency and insulation.
