Plastics News Europe - September 2019 - 36

additive manufacturing

➡ Continued from page 35
Can your Iroprint materials be recycled?
Our Iroprint additive manufacturing platform is made up
of both polyurethane (PU) and thermoplastic polyurethane
(TPU) materials. Our TPU materials, which are available as
powders and filaments, can be recycled. For our PU resins,
which are UV cured, recycling is less easy - but this is something we're working on.
What additive manufacturing technologies is
Iroprint suitable for?
The Iroprint additive manufacturing platform is technology
agnostic - meaning it's compatible with several different
manufacturing techniques. The platform is open and
evolving, so we can build on it for years to come. Currently the range includes three different types of additive manufacturing materials:
* IroprintR resins are a range of soft, durable, one-component liquid resin systems that can be 3D printed using SLA,
digital light processing (DLP) and other radiation-curing
methods.
* For companies looking to 3D print with powder-based
materials, IroprintP powders are a line of high performance
thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) for HSS forms of printing.
* IroprintF filaments are a collection of high performance
TPU materials, which have a consistent diameter, and are
designed for use with fused filament fabrication (FFF) and
other extrusion-based printing techniques.

3D printing is happening now

There have been various 3d printed shoes launched,
but these have been 'special editions'. Do you see a
market for 3d printed sports shoes evolving
anytime soon?
Yes. As mentioned, this is an incredibly fast moving sector.
3D printing footwear is no longer a dream. Across the industry we see the big brands starting to invest heavily in this
area. You're right when you say that the focus has, so far,
been on limited edition or relatively small production runs.
Wider adoption has been held back by material challenges
that still need to be overcome relating to functionality, productivity and scalability. But change is happening and the
introduction of 3D printing platforms such as our Iroprint
additive manufacturing range will help quicken the pace.
How does 3D printing shoes fit with the trend for
online purchases?
3D printing shoes fits well with the trend for buying online
and is closely aligned with growing consumer interest in
personalised products. We are not far off being able to go
into a shop to get our feet scanned. Once this step has been
taken place, you'll be able to order shoes - online or in store
- that are designed to fit your feet perfectly. I believe the rise
of 3D printing shoes will also enable smaller players to enter
the footwear market, who will predominantly sell online.

What do you mean when you say that you are
building 'an ecosystem'?
When we talk about building an ecosystem we mean fostering relationships with leading software and printer players in the world of 3D printing to address the combination
of challenges mentioned previously - namely aligning
printers, software, materials and application requirements.
This requires an approach to innovation that is open and
collaborative; the creation of an ecosystem where partners
are willing to share their expertise and know-how. In our
case, that's our in-depth understanding of urethanes technology; what it's capable of; and how best to work with it.
We knew from the start that building an ecosystem would
be key to the success of the Iroprint platform and have
spent time building those relationships. The result is a family of urethanes-based additive manufacturing materials
built on a foundation of solid application knowledge obtained from discussions with a variety of key partners.
Initially, you are focusing Iroprint on the footwear
industry - why?
The footwear industry is a natural place to launch our additive manufacturing capabilities. The footwear market
leads the way in design and is constantly looking for innovative new ways to make shoes. Plus, as a team, we already have excellent credentials in the footwear sector.

The plastics manufacturing industry is becoming
more and more digitalised. Where does additive
manufacturing fit into this trend?
Additive manufacturing is a key part of Industry 4.0 and
has the potential to disrupt conventional manufacturing
value chains - making it possible to produce products
quicker and closer to customers, while reducing overproduction and waste. Over time, additive manufacturing will
move from desktop to industrial printers. These will be
connected via the cloud to ensure printing speed and economics are optimised - and enabling printers to be managed remotely. Furthermore, 3D printing will take us deeper into the digital and automation arena, avoiding the
extra steps involved with tooling e.g., making moulds,
which can be costly and time and labour intensive.

The potential of AM is only starting to be explored
in manufacturing. Inset: Complexity is not a problem

Can you tell me something about yourself - what is
your background? How did you become interested
in additive manufacturing? Do you have a printer?
I don't currently have a printer at home, but we have lots
of machines in our AddLab (technical development centre)
in Belgium. Regarding my background, I've worked in the
specialty chemicals industry since 1992. I was at ICI in
2000 when Huntsman acquired its polyurethanes division
- and have been with the business ever since, driving
growth and innovation in a variety of marketing, business
management, innovation, and business development
roles. I have a passion for creating new business in an international context, growing people, and developing innovative ways to create value - which is why it is so exciting
to be working in the world of 3D printing.

september 2019

Plastics News Europe - September 2019

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