New partnerships to develop materials for 3D printing are springing up to kick-start growth in an industry that experts say is being hampered by a lack of suitable materials. In one of the latest initiatives, BASF is teaming up with hardware giant HP to develop printing materials for industrial application via the HP Multi Jet Fusion Open Platform. This allows customers to select a material supplier and engage with them directly to develop materials for specific 3D production applications.

The German group said it is committed to integrating the ideas generated from this exchange to speed the development of a variety of new materials for enhanced 3D printing products. On a broader scale, it is stepping its activities in developing new material solutions for the 3D printing industry as a whole.

“By partnering with companies that have a long history in developing new materials with customers in the manufacturing industry, we want to bring 3D printing from small batch series to industrial large-scale production,” said Tim Weber, global head, 3D Materials & Advanced Applications at HP. “BASF brings tremendous expertise in materials for mass production to the 3D printing industry.”

Dietmar Geiser, who heads the 3D-printing strategy within the BASF New Business group said efforts are focused on developing durable materials that can be used in goods such as automobiles, electronics, sports equipment and materials for the machining industry.

Underscoring its commitment to the market, BASF has also established a new dedicated business unit and created an Application Technology Center for 3D printing in Heidelberg, Germany. The center is dedicated to developing custom material solutions and downstream applications for customers.

The world’s largest chemical producer claims to have the broadest product portfolio of materials that can be developed for 3D-printing applications, including its Ultrasint-brand PA 6 X028, a powder claimed to outperform other polyamides currently used in 3D printing in terms of mechanical stability and heat resistance.

BASF said its portfolio of high-performance engineering plastics based on PA, PBT, polysulfones and POM, as well as polyurethane solutions and thermoplastic elastomers, are the backbone for the development of materials specific for industrial 3D printing applications.

In another cross-industry partnership, US materials supplier A. Schulman is cooperating with French 3D-printing pioneer Prodways, which has developed high-end 3D printers on an open materials platform, aimed at boosting the emergence of 3D printing in series production. As part of the arrangement, Schulman will supply high-performance polymer compounds and composites that it said will allow the French company to access state-of-the-art compounding know-how.