AquaSys® Awarded 2018 Best Development in 3D Printing
at IDTechEx Show
Posted on November 15, 2018
Santa Clara, USA — AquaSys®, a water-soluble 3D printing support resin for high-temperature build material that significantly reduces the cost and time of downstream processing for high-temperature printing materials was awarded the 2018 Best Development in 3D printing” at the annual IDTechEx Awards.
IDTechEx held the award ceremony to recognize different development and success across the industry. This year industry experts have announced AquaSys® as the Best Development in 3D Printing. The advent of AquaSys® resin moves printing technologies (like FDM and FFF) closer to a lower cost, production-viable manufacturing solution.
AquaSys® provides advanced support to materials with complex designs (including angles over 45⁰, intricate internal engineering) and good adhesion to a variety of build materials and build plates. Post- printing, AquaSys® support resin is rapidly dissolved in water for a smooth finish without the need for chemical solvents. AquaSys® is the only known product with such performance properties.
Many companies active in the additive manufacturing space have spent years (even decades) trying to develop a water-soluble support material that works with PEI, PEEK, and other engineered thermoplastics. As of 2017, no solution existed.
OEMs that are printing parts for commercial applications (e.g., aerospace, automotive, medical) have been forced to use breakaway supports. These breakaway supports are time-consuming to remove, and greatly limit design freedom that additive manufacturing can offer. One industry leader has referred to this problem as a “holy grail” for additive manufacturing. Notable 3D printing machine manufacturers and material formulators have been working on this problem for more than a decade.
AquaSys® water-soluble support resin will be commercially available to 3D Printer Manufactures, and end-users in 2019.
Infinite Material Solutions, LLC. is a joint venture involving Nagase America, a multinational manufacturer-distributor of raw materials and specialty chemicals, and Interfacial Consultants, a Wisconsin based firm focused on creating highly differentiated technology platforms, combine unique capabilities to provide disruptive materials to the additive manufacturing industry.