3D Printing High Performance Plastic

High performance plastics are defined as plastics that have high distortion temperature greater than 150 degree Celsius and have properties such as lightweight, corrosion resistance, strength, and durability. 3D printing of high performance plastic is a major disruptive technology of this century, transitioning from prototyping to a potential production method across various industries. The 3D printing of these plastics can meet the needs of the most demanding markets such as aerospace & defense and transportation. Material innovation is the key to 3D printing high performance plastics as they directly affect the performance of printed parts. Apart from demanding applications, high performance plastics are used in medical & healthcare, oil & gas, and other industries.

Best 3D Printing High Performance Plastic 2021

1. STRATASYS
2. ARKEMA SA
3. SABIC
4. SOLVAY SA
5. EVONIK INDUSTRIES AG
6. 3D SYSTEMS
7. VICTREX
8. DSM
9. TREED FILAMENTS
10. BASF

Market Overview

3D printing high performance plastics offers unique design freedom while reducing excessive production costs and lead times. It provides ease and freedom of manufacturing at low cost, without the need for production lines. In the aerospace and medical industries, a prototype is made using 3D printing of high performance plastics, and its thorough testing is done before the newly developed product is ready for production. This has encouraged many industrial customers to implement the aforementioned technology for prototyping and production. With 3D printing, the various components of a structure can be designed and developed in-house, without the need for assembly lines required for various intricate features that add to the production cost and time.

The various types of high performance plastics are PA, PEI, PEEK & PEKK, and reinforced plastics. These high performance plastics are available in filament, pellet, and powder forms and majorly 3D printed through FDM and SLS technologies. Companies are focused on developing reusable and biodegradable high performance plastics.

The latest forecasts by multiple sources predict a 4% decrease in the global GDP in 2020 and a slow recovery, making the recession caused by this pandemic worse than the 2009 global recession. Based on these forecasts, the global economy is expected to recover by 2021; but for some countries, including the US, Germany, Canada, Japan, India, Argentina, and South Korea, recovery is predicted to take longer. The business of large aircraft manufacturers in the Americas and Europe is adversely affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well. This is expected to result in a comparatively low growth of the 3D printing high performance plastic market in 2020. However, the growing investments for developing novel high performance plastics for 3D printing, especially in the medical & healthcare industry fueled the growth of 3D printing materials in 2020.

In the 3D printing high performance plastic market, the bargaining power of suppliers is expected to be high because the market has a very less number of raw material suppliers.

The 3D printing high performance plastics market is evolving continuously due to the use of 3D printing technologies across various end-use applications. North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific are the major markets for 3D printing plastics across the globe. The major transformation of 3D printing technologies and 3D printing materials is expected to occur only when 3D printing technologies are used right from the prototyping to the manufacturing processes. Various types of 3D printing plastic materials have evolved with the increasing demand for 3D printing technologies in various applications. For instance, the evolution of photopolymers took place with the increasing use of SLA technology for developing models, prototypes, patterns, and production parts for a range of industries.

The competitive leadership mapping showcased provides information for the best 3D Printing High Performance Plastic. The vendors are evaluated on two different parameters: Product Offerings and Business Strategy.

This category of best 3D Printing High Performance Plastic includes Stratasys, Arkema, Solvay, Victrex, 3D Systems, SABIC, and Evonik Industries.

This category of 3D Printing High Performance Plastic includes DSM, BASF, EOS, and Oxford Performance Materials.

This category of Best 3D Printing High Performance Plastic includes Treed Filaments, Golden Plastics, 3D4Makers, and 3DXTech.

This category of 3D Printing High Performance Plastic includes Lehmann & Voss, Toray Industries, and DUPONT.

DRIVERS

Increased demand for 3D printing high performance plastic from medical & healthcare, aerospace & defense, and automotive industries

3D printing technology is being majorly adopted in the aerospace & defense industry. The aircraft industry is one of the early adopters of 3D printing high performance plastic. These materials are highly useful for producing complex and intricate parts since they withstand extreme temperature conditions. Aircraft and auto manufacturers are primarily considering this aspect to integrate high-performance thermoplastics into their manufacturing.

Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) has a high demand from the medical & healthcare industry. It offers a continuous rating service above 240 degrees Celsius and maintains its stiffness up to 170 degrees Celsius that means these 3D printing high performance plastic can be autoclaved, which is necessary for many applications in the biomedical field. Further, these materials are biocompatible and are certified for use in implants. PEEK has a very high demand for bone and spine implants.

The automotive and aerospace industries are particularly interested as these materials offer an excellent combination of rigidity, durability, and thermal resistance. 3D printing high performance plastic is transforming the manufacturing process in the automotive industry. The technology has helped the industry in making more complex and lighter structures at optimized costs. For instance, BMW is collaborating with major 3D printing companies, including EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems (Germany) and Carbon (US) to manufacture 3D-printed parts for commercial vehicles. ULTEM 9085 offered by Stratasys is ideal for aerospace and automotive applications, providing high-performance parts and a lightweight alternative to metal. Latecoere, a French aircraft design and manufacturing group, uses ULTEM 9085 to produce functional prototypes, customized tools, and air duct housing components.

Development of application specific grades of 3D printing high performance plastic

Different grades of 3D printing plastics are available in the market to cater to different application requirements. The costs of these grades of 3D printing plastics range from the lowest to the highest possible values in the market. There are different grades of 3D printing plastics which are certified by different organizations such as the European Commission and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or adhere to different standards such as the US Pharmacopeia (USP) Class VI to ensure that they are safe for use in different applications in the healthcare industry. Boeing’s starliner passenger capsules incorporate more than 500 PEKK parts 3D printed by Oxford Performance Materials. These passenger capsules are used to transport NASA astronauts to and from the space station. Thus, the development of application-specific grades of 3D printing plastics is expected to drive the growth of the 3D printing high perfromance materialplastics market during the forecast period.

Government programmes to encourage the use of 3D printing high-performance plastics in various industries

3D printing is used in a variety of industries around the world because it decreases operating time and costs while allowing for mass production of products. Governments from all over the world are taking steps to encourage the use of 3D printing high-performance plastic in a variety of industries. For example, the UK government announced a USD 150 million investment in the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Rotherham and Sheffield, as well as the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Rotherham, in 2018.

Furthermore, the South Korean government announced a new investment in 3D printing in 2016, with plans to use it in a variety of industries. In 2016, the UK government issued a funding request for USD 5.5 million for 3D printing. The Ministry of Electronics and Information of the Indian government issued a 3D printing policy in December 2020 in order to create a favourable environment for local businesses.

The growth of the 3D printing high performance plastic market is being boosted by government initiatives such as reimbursement policies and funding, as well as various mergers and acquisitions among small and large businesses for technological advancement.

RESTRAINTS

Concerns about the disposal of 3D printed plastic items have been raised by environmentalists

During the forecast period, rising environmental concerns about the disposal of plastic materials are expected to restrain the growth of the 3D printing high performance plastic industry. To avoid contamination, 3D printing plastics, which are mostly petroleum-derived products, must be properly disposed of. As a result, in the long run, the use of HPP 3D printed materials in 3D printing technology is likely to face regulatory challenges from various environmental agencies around the world. This has prompted major polymer companies to invest in R&D to produce bio-based 3D printed products that are both biodegradable and environmentally friendly.

Skepticism regarding acceptance of new technologies in emerging economies

The rate of adoption of new technologies varies from region to region, depending on various macroeconomic factors such as GDP and the growth of industries contributing to the GDP of a country. These macroeconomic factors impact the adoption of new technologies and eventually their growth in a particular country or region. North American and European regions, which largely constitutes developed countries, are more open toward adopting new technologies such as 3D printing technology as compared to regions such as Asia Pacific. The increased adoption of 3D printing technologies in developed regions can be attributed to low opportunity costs for adopting new technologies in these regions as compared to emerging regions. Moreover, the governments of developed countries also support R&D activities for the development of new and innovative technologies.

Lack of adoption of new technologies in emerging economies can be attributed to the dependence of industries defining GDP of these economies on the traditional occupations such as agriculture, raw material manufacturing, and so on. As such, technological trends such as 3D printing technology do not prevail in these regions.

Declining economy due to COVID-19

The 3D printing high performance plastic market is expected to witness relatively slow growth in 2021 due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This deadly virus has adversely affected the entire globe, especially the North American and European regions. To prevent the further spread of this virus, companies have shut down their operations and manufacturing facilities across countries. This has led to a reduction in the implementation of 3D printing high performance plastic across automotive, aerospace & defense, and other industries. Various automobile manufacturers, including Volkswagen, BMW, and Ford, have witnessed a decrease in their market shares due to the impact of the pandemic on the global economy. The virus outbreak has disastrously affected major aerospace markets such as the US, France, and China, which has led to a sharp decline in the aerospace & defense industry. This, in turn, is hindering the growth of the 3D printing materials market.

OPPORTUNITIES

Increasing demand for bio-based grades of 3D printing high performance plastics

Some of the 3D printing high performance plastics, which include engineered plastics such as PA11 and PA12, are derived from natural sources such as castor oil, palm oil, and starches. These plastics reduce the environmental concerns regarding the disposal of 3D printed waste materials. Hence, bio-based grades of 3D printing high performance plastics are gaining huge acceptance from all the end-use industries. Rilsan offered by Arkema is derived from castor oil and Evonik AG is planning to introduce a bio-based grade of PA12 which is manufactured from palm oil. Such product developments would offer new avenues for the penetration of bio-based grades of high performance materials in the 3D printing industry. Further, governments of several agro-based countries are promoting the production of bio-based polymers to ensure the growth of their agriculture sectors. This is expected to encourage the use of bio-based high performance plastics for 3D printing applications.

Practical component production, reinforced 3D printing high performance plastics use

For usable component manufacturing, the market for reinforced 3D printing high performance plastics is growing. Extreme conditions, such as corrosive and high temperature/pressure situations, call for these grades. To improve the efficiency of PEEK, PEKK, and polyamide, carbon and glass fibres are added. Royal DSM's Novamid ID1030 CF10 is a high-quality polyamide with 10% carbon reinforcement that is suitable for 3D printing. Novamid is used in a wide range of industries, from automotive to packaging. Stratasys, Ltd., a company based in the United States, offers FDM Nylon 12 CF, which is a polyamide (PA)12 thermoplastic filament reinforced with chopped carbon fibre in a 35 percent by weight ratio. The material has the highest flexural strength of any thermoplastic, resulting in the stiffness-to-weight ratio of any thermoplastic. It's an excellent substitute for heavier metal components in applications like practical prototypes and limited end-use parts because of its lightweight and high strength and stiffness.

CHALLENGES

Commercial grades of 3D printing high performance plastic have a high production expense

Commercial grades of 3D printing high performance plastic have high manufacturing costs due to many value additions to the base materials used in their production. In emerging economies, the supply chain for distributing raw materials used to produce commercial grades of 3D printing plastics is still being developed. Furthermore, value-adding materials like carbon fibre and glass fibre, which are used with base materials, are expensive. As a result, the high production costs of industrial grades of 3D printing high performance plastic pose a threat to the global demand for 3D printing high performance plastic.

Reducing lead time

One of the key challenges faced by the 3D printing high performance material manufacturers is to reduce the lead time associated with these materials. 3D printing products requires a substantial amount of time to manufacture the end products. To overcome this issue, manufacturers need to work on existing materials and technologies catering to the 3D printing industry. The high lead time taken by the industry is restricting most of the manufacturers from switching to additive manufacturing from their conventional manufacturing process, which is hampering the adoption of 3D printing in major end-use industries, including aerospace & defense, automotive, and electrical & electronics.

3D PRINTING HIGH PERFORMANCE PLASTIC MARKET, BY TYPE

There are different types of 3D printing high-performance plastics materials such as polyamide (PA), polyether ether ketone (PEEK) & polyether ketone (PEKK), and reinforced plastics. High-performance or engineering polymers are materials that have enhanced mechanical or thermal properties than the more widely used plastics such as ABS, PP, PS, PE, and PET. 3D printing high performance plastic considered in this study are plastics having heat distortion temperature greater than 150°C and have properties such as chemical resistance, durability, and lightweight. These materials display resistance to a broad range of chemicals and solvents as well as gamma, beta, and x-rays. These materials find applications in medical & healthcare, transportation, and aerospace & defense industries

POLYAMIDE (PA)

PA, that are mostly engineered one and have heat distortion temperature greater than 150 degree Celsius are considered in the study. Printed with PA powder, this material is also known as nylon. PA’s structure comes from a polymer containing amide functions and is used in 3D printing in a variety of forms. In powder form, PA is used in selective laser sintering (SLS). Printers made by EOS GmbH and 3D Systems use the SLS method to melt PA plastic with laser energy. In wire form in fused deposition modelling (FDM), the PA material is heated until it attains a liquid state and then extruded from a nozzle that applies layer by layer to create the desired object. The two major players, 3D Systems and Stratasys Ltd., distribute printers for PA. 3D printing high performance plastic manufacturers are constantly developing new products for newer applications. For instance, in February 2019, Evonik launched a new polyamide powder that possesses excellent temperature and chemical resistance along with a heat deflection temperature of nearly 195°C. This product is highly useful in higher temperature applications.

POLYETHERIMIDE (PEI)

Characterized by a combination of outstanding mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties, PEI has made its place in high-performance applications such as aerospace, automotive, and industrial sectors. Features of the material include high strength-to-weight ratio, thermo-oxidative stability, high-temperature resistance, and other excellent mechanical properties. Primarily, PEI has been developed to overcome challenges associated with polyimides (PI) to make the melting process easier and reduce the cost of finished parts. Incorporating the proper ether linkage into the polyimide molecular chain offers sufficient flexibility to allow good melt processability and yet retains aromatic imide characteristics of excellent mechanical and thermal properties. PEI is offered by several suppliers such as SABIC, Lehmann & Voss, Quadrant, RTP Company, and PolyOne.

POLYETHER ETHER KETONE & POLYETHER KETONE (PEEK & PEKK)

PEEK is semi-crystalline, high-performance, engineering thermoplastic characterized by an unusual combination of properties such as superior mechanical strength, high chemical resistance, and very high strength to weight ratio. This rigid, opaque gray colored material is resistant to wear, fatigue, and creep with exceptional temperature resistance of up to 2600C. PEEK belongs to the polyketone family of polymers and is most widely used in 3D printing high performance plastic. There are many producers and compounders of modified polymers in the market. Companies offering PEEK products include Victrex (VICTREX, PEEK VICOTE), Lehman & Voss (LUVOCOM), Evonik Industries AG (VESTAKEEP), and Solvay Group (Ketaspire, Novaspire). Most of these companies have been making R&D investments and hold significant stakes in the additive manufacturing industry and boost the mass production.

Similar to PEEK, PEKK is also a part of the polyarylether ketone (PAEK) family except for two key differences. PEKK replaces one of the flexible ether linkages with a more rigid ketone group. This increase glass transition temperature (Tg) by about 150 degree Celsius over PEEK. The second ketone group is selectively ortho (straight) or para (kinked) substituted. By varying the number of straight or kinked sections, it enables to control the melting point and crystallization rate. PEKK is less affected by cooling in a low-temperature build chamber, so it has better adhesion and less warping. Owing to its crystallization rate, PEKK is mainly found in the form of filament compatible with high-temperature machines but is also available in powder form for a very limited number of SLS 3D printers. Filaments made with Arkema’s Kepstan PEKK are available with several independent filament converters. Manufacturers such as Lehvoss Group is working on the development of granules for filament design. They have recently released their LUVOCOM 3F PEKK, which is available as granules. Some manufacturers of 3D printing PEKK such as Oxford Performance Materials, EOS, and Solvay offer PEKK in powder form.

REINFORCED HPP

High performance plastics (HPP) reinforced with glass and carbon fibers are becoming an interesting choice for manufacturers and OEMs in different end-use industries, especially aerospace & defense and automotive. Carbon fiber incorporated polymer material offers mechanical properties such as superior strength, increased rigidity, and durability. Stratasys Ltd. offers polyamide (PA)12 thermoplastic filament reinforced with chopped carbon fiber, 35% by weight. The material has the highest flexural strength of any thermoplastic, leading to the highest stiffness-to-weight ratio. The combination of lightweight and high strength and stiffness makes it an ideal replacement for heavier metal components in applications such as functional prototypes and selective end-use parts. Manufacturers of 3D printing high performance plastic are involving with R&D activities to launch reinforced HPPs. In September 2018, Royal DSM N.V. launched its new product, Novamid ID1030 CF 10, which is a carbon fiber-filled grade PA6/66 filament. This product is filled with 10% actual carbon fiber. It is designed for durable industrial parts, which can perform in severe environments.

OTHERS

Other types of 3D printing high performance plastics include polyphenylsulfone, polyamide-imide, polysulfone, and polyethersulfone.

(POLYPHENYLSULFONE) PPSU

PPSU is a transparent and rigid high-temperature engineering thermoplastic that belongs to the polysulfone family. It mainly consists of phenyl (aromatic) rings linked by the sulfone (SO2) group. PPSU has a glass transition temperature of 2880C and a heat deflection temperature of 2740C. The continuous use temperature for PPSU has been suggested to be 2600C. PPSU is flame resistant and displays high impact strength and good chemical resistance. PPSU has numerous applications in end-use industries such as electrical & electronics, aerospace, and medical/healthcare. It is used in the manufacturing of medical trays, ophthalmologic scopes, surgical instrument handles, endoscopic devices, laboratory animal cages, and anesthesiology equipment. Its pressure and vacuum resistance have enabled its usage in the development of sterilizable containers and other 3D printing applications.

(POLYAMIDE-IMIDE) PAI

PAI has high-temperature strength with low temperature toughness and impact strength. It offers exceptional chemical resistance as an amorphous polymer to a broad range of common chemicals. PAI provides the flexibility of melt-processing with better balance of strength, stiffness, and wear resistance, which is maximized through a secondary thermal cure. PAI provides higher strength at 204 degrees Celsius than most other thermoplastics.

(POLYSULFONE) PSU

PSU are sulfur-containing, non-degradable high-performance thermoplastic plastic. This is a high-temperature aromatic sulfone polymer and is one of the highest performance polymers in the plastics world. It has excellent thermal and chemical resistance, making it ideal for demanding applications in the aerospace, automotive, defense, electronics, industrial, medical, and semiconductor sectors. Other attributes of the material include excellent hydraulic resistance, impact resistance, high resistance to gamma radiation, and offer resistance against most common automotive fluids, antifreeze, transmission fluid, motor oil, gasoline, power steering fluid, and windshield washer fluid.

(POLYETHER SULFONE) PES

PES is an amorphous, transparent, and pale-amber high-performance thermoplastic. It is the most transparent temperature resistant commercially available thermoplastic resin. It has relatively high water absorption, flame resistance, and is one of the lowest smokes emitting materials. The high-temperature oil and gas resistance allow PES to be used in automotive applications. PES resin reinforced with carbon and glass fibers is increasingly used in automotive components, replacing metal and thermoset materials. The ability of PES to tolerate repeated sterilization allows it to be used in a variety of medical applications. Apart from this, the material is also used in aircraft interiors, electronics, and consumer goods, among others.

3D PRINTING HIGH PERFORMANCE PLASTIC MARKET, BY FORM

FILAMENT AND PELLET

3D printers using FDM technology require plastic filaments made up of various materials, such as PEEK & PEKK, PEI, PPSU, PES, PSU, PVDF, and PA. These filaments are available in different length, color, and diameter. PA filaments are useful in several end-use industries ranging from automotive to packaging, aerospace, dental, and electrical & electronics. PA is one of the popular 3D printing materials and is suitable for a variety of applications as it is available at affordable cost and can be given finishing in multiple ways, including dyed, smoothed spray-printed, and velvet finish. PEEK & PEKK filaments offer excellent biocompatibility, superior chemical resistance, high dimensional stability, and high creep resistance, among other properties. To meet the challenging demand from various end-use industries such as aerospace, defense, and automotive, companies are innovating new materials such as carbon-reinforced PEEK materials. For instance, in October 2019, Solvay Group introduced KetaSpire PEEK XT, the industry’s first true high-temperature PEEK. This innovative material provides the chemical resistance of standard PEEK with significantly higher stiffness and strength at elevated temperatures. KetaSpire PEEK XT delivers exceptional chemical resistance of PEEK, along with higher glass transition temperature and higher melting temperature than standard PEEK. In September 2018, Royal DSM N.V. launched its new product, Novamid ID1030 CF 10, which is a carbon fiber-filled grade PA6/66 filament. This product is filled with 10% of the actual carbon fiber. It is designed for durable industrial parts, which can perform in severe environments. This has helped in boosting the demand for high-performance plastic filaments in 3D printing.

POWDER

Various powder-based plastics are used for 3D printing, such as polyamide/nylon, PEEK, and PEKK. Polyamide powder offers strength and flexibility, enabling the 3D printing to achieve a high level of detail. Polyamide is the reference material in powder bed fusion processes like selective laser sintering (SLS). The technique uses a laser beam to produce 3D parts by fusing together thermoplastic powders layer by layer. This powder is white in color and is available in fine granular form. Various 3D printing high performance plastic material manufacturers are undertaking strategies such as product launch and expansion and have been aggressively encouraging the use of powder material. In February 2019, Evonik Industries AG launched a new polyamide powder that possesses excellent temperature and chemical resistance, along with a heat deflection temperature of nearly 195°C. This product is highly useful in higher temperature applications.

3D PRINTING HIGH PERFORMANCE PLASTIC MARKET, BY TECHNOLOGY

FUSED DEPOSITION MODELING (FDM)

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology is also referred to as fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology. This additive manufacturing technology works on the material extrusion process. In this technology, an object is manufactured by selectively depositing material layer by layer in a pre-determined path. Under this process, the thermoplastic filament is loaded into the 3D printer, and then the nozzle of the printer is heated to the desired temperature. The filament is then pushed to the heated nozzle, where it starts melting. After this process, the extrusion head moves along the specified coordinates, where the melted material is deposited onto the build plate where it cools and solidifies. Once a layer is finished, the printer lays down another layer, and the process is repeated until the object is formed.

SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING (SLS)

Selective laser sintering (SLS) is one of the major technologies that work on powder bed fusion technology. The objects created using SLS are generally made with thermoplastic powders. Nylon is one of the widely used types of plastics for printing 3D objects using this technology. This process is very similar to direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) because SLS also uses a thermal energy source to induce fusion between powder particles. DMLS is used to process metals, while SLS is used to create objects using thermoplastic powders. SLS is very useful in producing parts with complex geometries and good mechanical properties.