Solvay upgrades Sinterline PA6 powders and launches HUB service platform

Every year at Formnext, the range of 3D printing materials for industrial applications grows, both on the polymer and metal sides. This year will be no different, as we are seeing new releases and upgrades by 3D printing materials specialists and leading chemical companies that are increasingly investing in AM. The latest comes from French chemical company Solvay, which will be introducing new and improved polymer powders for SLS 3D printing in Frankfurt next week.

Solvay Performance Polyamides will be showcasing its Sinterline Technyl polyamide 6 (PA6) powders, which have been upgraded and optimized for processability and part performance. The company will also be introducing a new platform to support its Sinterline product offering: HUB by Sinterline.

Sinterline Technyl PA6

The updated Sinterline Technyl PA6 powder range for SLS 3D printing boasts improvements on all fronts. The powder range can now achieve the mechanical and thermal performances required for functional prototyping and low- to medium-volume production. The PA6 materials, based on Solvay’s patented polymer formulation, also have better processing characteristics, with a wider processing window. This makes the powders compatible with a variety of SLS 3D printers that have high temperature polymer capabilities.

HUB by Sinterline

HUB by Sinterline will function as an advanced service platform for printing parts. The platform will effectively connect MMI Technyl Design, a predictive simulation tool for 3D printed parts with a Sinterline functional prototyping service and application testing center (APT) in order to offer clients enhanced capabilities for improved 3D design and part performance.

“The industry has realised the full potential of additive manufacturing and is moving from prototyping to serial production,” said Dominique Giannotta, Sinterline Additive Manufacturing Leader for Solvay Performance Polyamides. “To accelerate this transformation, solutions need to be developed to deliver real functional prototypes, closer in performance to injection molding parts.

“This is where Sinterline enables affordable customisation of functional 3D printed parts that could not previously be manufactured without great expense, time and material wastage. Parts’ performance is improved thanks to HUB by Sinterline®, an advanced service platform which includes predictive simulation capabilities specifically designed for additive manufacturing.”