Though the plastic industry is facing slack for increasing the environmental footprint, game changers like Covestro AG — a German company which produces a variety of polyurethane and polycarbonate based raw materials, is gaining recognition for developing recycled plastic for 3D (3 dimensional) printing.
Manufacturers of 3D printing high performance plastic materials are boosting production for recycled polycarbonate by blending plastic waste with virgin materials to yield a polycarbonate base that can be extruded into filaments for use in automobiles, electronics and other industries.
Successful projects with 3D printing high performance plastic materials are grabbing the attention of start-ups and deep-pocketed investors. These projects include the use of post-consumer plastic waste for reducing environmental waste.
The 2020 Olympic podiums, public benches in Amsterdam and beach furniture in Greece have been designed from local waste plastic. Coca Cola is printing urban furniture from plastic bottle waste and German automaker Audi is now 3D printing factory assembly aids from its own used packaging materials.
Additive manufacturing (AM) technology is emerging as an important strategy to produce challenging customized objects with the help of 3D printing high performance plastics. The development of functional polymers & composites by 3D printing-based technologies is being explored by engineers owing to the technology’s cost efficiency, high precision and flexibility in material utilization.
As such, the medical industry is catalyzing demand for innovations in 3D printing high performance plastic products. This is being achieved with the help of polymer 3D printing in mechanical and biological needs for tissue scaffolds.
Aerospace and automotive industry holds high growth opportunities for manufacturers of 3D printing high performance plastics. This is because high-performance polymers are found to outperform older metal counterparts to a great extent.
Thus, the business of 3D printing high performance plastics is anticipated to scale exponentially in the upcoming years.
