Discover Cubic Ink®: ALTANA’s Advanced Materials Driving Innovation in 3D Printing

Cubic Ink®, a pioneering brand under the esteemed specialized chemicals company ALTANA, is at the forefront of developing high-performance materials specifically engineered for additive manufacturing. These advanced materials are designed to meet the rigorous demands of diverse industrial applications, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in 3D printing. To gain an in-depth understanding of the innovative world of Cubic Ink® materials, we recently had the invaluable opportunity to engage directly with the company’s expert team, who elucidated the unique characteristics and strategic vision behind their cutting-edge offerings.

Our insightful discussion took place at Formnext 2023, a premier global exhibition for additive manufacturing. We had the distinct pleasure of conversing with Dr. Max Röttger, the dynamic Head of Cubic Ink®, and André Salié, the visionary Head of Business Development. From these leading figures, we gleaned comprehensive insights into Cubic Ink®’s current R&D focus, their strategic roadmap, and how ALTANA is leveraging its deep material science expertise to shape the future of industrial 3D printing. The conversation also illuminated numerous compelling examples of Cubic Ink® material applications across various sectors, along with detailed explanations of the tangible benefits customers derive from integrating these innovative solutions into their workflows. Furthermore, we received exciting glimpses into the future trajectory of Cubic Ink®, hinting at upcoming advancements and innovations. We encourage you to stay tuned for more developments and explore the video below for additional perspectives. If you attended Formnext 2023, we hope you had the chance to visit the Cubic Ink® representatives at the ALTANA booth in hall 12.1, booth F99, to experience their applications firsthand. For further comprehensive information on Cubic Ink® materials and their capabilities, please visit their official website HERE.

Cubic Ink®: A Strategic Pillar in ALTANA’s Innovation Portfolio

As a integral part of ALTANA, a global leader in specialty chemicals, Cubic Ink® benefits from a legacy of over 70 years of innovation and material science excellence. ALTANA’s strategic foray into additive manufacturing through Cubic Ink® underscores its commitment to exploring high-growth markets and providing sophisticated material solutions for the rapidly evolving industrial landscape. Cubic Ink® isn’t just about producing materials; it’s about pioneering solutions that enable manufacturers to overcome existing limitations in design, performance, and production efficiency. Leveraging ALTANA’s extensive research and development capabilities, Cubic Ink® focuses on creating photopolymer resins and other specialized materials that are precisely formulated for specific additive manufacturing technologies, ensuring optimal performance and consistency across a broad spectrum of industrial applications.

Understanding the Core: What Defines Cubic Ink® Materials?

Cubic Ink® materials are primarily advanced photopolymer resins, meticulously engineered to offer exceptional performance characteristics suitable for a wide array of 3D printing processes, including Stereolithography (SLA), Digital Light Processing (DLP), and various inkjet-based systems. What truly distinguishes Cubic Ink® materials is their ability to deliver high-performance attributes that were once challenging to achieve with conventional additive manufacturing materials. These attributes span a broad spectrum, addressing critical needs in industrial production:

Exceptional Mechanical Properties: Cubic Ink® offers materials with superior tensile strength, impact resistance, and flexural modulus, enabling the production of durable and functional parts that can withstand rigorous mechanical stresses.
Advanced Thermal Resistance: For applications requiring stability under high temperatures, Cubic Ink® provides resins with elevated heat deflection temperatures (HDT), making them suitable for automotive, aerospace, and industrial tooling.
Chemical Resistance: Many industrial environments expose parts to harsh chemicals. Cubic Ink® develops materials that exhibit excellent resistance to a variety of solvents, acids, and bases, ensuring longevity and reliability.
Tailored Flexibility and Rigidity: From highly rigid, stiff components to flexible, elastomeric parts, Cubic Ink® offers a diverse portfolio that can mimic the properties of traditional engineering plastics and rubbers, catering to specific design and functional requirements.
Optical Clarity and Aesthetics: For applications where visual appeal or light transmission is critical, Cubic Ink® provides materials that boast high optical clarity and excellent surface finish, reducing the need for extensive post-processing.
Biocompatibility (for specific grades): In sectors like medical and dental, materials must meet stringent biocompatibility standards. Cubic Ink® is actively developing and offering materials that are suitable for specific medical device applications, adhering to relevant regulatory guidelines.
Precision and Detail: The intrinsic properties of these resins, combined with advanced printing technologies, allow for the creation of intricate geometries and exceptionally fine details, crucial for complex prototypes and end-use components.

The versatility inherent in Cubic Ink®’s material portfolio means that customers are not limited to generic solutions. Instead, they gain access to a range of materials that can be precisely matched to their application’s performance criteria, whether for rapid prototyping, functional validation, or direct digital manufacturing of end-use parts. This focus on specialized, high-performance materials is what positions Cubic Ink® as a critical enabler for the broader adoption of additive manufacturing in demanding industrial sectors.

Formnext 2023: Unveiling ALTANA’s Vision for Additive Manufacturing

Our discussions with Dr. Max Röttger and André Salié at Formnext 2023 offered a profound look into ALTANA’s strategic approach with Cubic Ink®. The core strategy revolves around leveraging ALTANA’s deep-rooted expertise in specialty chemicals to become a premier material supplier for the industrial additive manufacturing sector. This involves more than just developing new resins; it encompasses a holistic approach to material science, application engineering, and customer collaboration.

According to Dr. Röttger, Cubic Ink®’s mission extends beyond material innovation to solving real-world industrial challenges. “Our focus is on enabling our customers to achieve new levels of performance and efficiency with additive manufacturing,” he explained. “We’re not just selling resins; we’re providing solutions that integrate seamlessly into industrial workflows, offering unparalleled reliability and consistency.” This customer-centric philosophy drives their research and development, ensuring that new materials are developed with specific application requirements and market demands in mind.

André Salié elaborated on the market dynamics, stating, “The industrialization of additive manufacturing demands materials that are not only high-performing but also scalable and robust for production environments. ALTANA’s long-standing expertise in formulating advanced chemicals gives Cubic Ink® a distinct advantage in meeting these rigorous industrial standards.” He highlighted their strategy to foster strong collaborations with leading 3D printer manufacturers and end-users, ensuring that their materials are optimized for various hardware platforms and application-specific needs. This collaborative ecosystem approach accelerates innovation and facilitates the broader adoption of additive manufacturing for functional parts.

Key areas of current focus for Cubic Ink® include expanding their portfolio of materials with enhanced mechanical properties, exploring sustainable formulations, and developing resins optimized for higher throughput printing technologies. The vision articulated at Formnext emphasized a future where Cubic Ink® materials empower industries to create complex, high-performance components on demand, significantly reducing lead times and opening up new possibilities for product design and customization.

Diverse Applications: Where Cubic Ink® Materials Make a Difference

The versatility and superior performance of Cubic Ink® materials open doors to groundbreaking applications across a multitude of industries. Here are just a few examples where these advanced resins are proving to be transformative:

Automotive Industry: From functional prototypes for rapid design iteration and concept validation to custom jigs, fixtures, and tooling on the production line, Cubic Ink® materials enable automotive manufacturers to accelerate development cycles. They are also being explored for lightweighting initiatives and the production of specialized interior components that require high aesthetics and durability.
Aerospace Sector: In aerospace, where every gram counts and performance is paramount, Cubic Ink® materials offer solutions for creating lightweight, complex geometries that can withstand extreme environmental conditions. Applications include aerodynamic components, interior parts, and critical tooling that benefits from rapid production and customized designs.
Medical and Dental Devices: The demand for personalized medicine and precision in dental applications is perfectly met by additive manufacturing. Cubic Ink® is developing biocompatible materials suitable for surgical guides, anatomical models for pre-operative planning, prosthetics, and various dental aligner and restoration components, offering high precision and patient-specific solutions.
Electronics and Consumer Goods: For intricate electronic housings, insulating components, and heat management solutions, Cubic Ink® materials provide the precision and material properties required. In consumer goods, they enable the rapid prototyping of new products, customization at scale, and the production of visually appealing and durable end-use items.
Industrial Tooling and Manufacturing Aids: Jigs, fixtures, molds, and patterns used in traditional manufacturing processes can be produced rapidly and cost-effectively with Cubic Ink® resins, significantly reducing lead times and production costs for custom tooling.
Research and Development: Cubic Ink® materials are also invaluable in R&D settings, allowing engineers and scientists to quickly test new designs, validate concepts, and experiment with novel material properties for future innovations.

Tangible Benefits for Customers: Why Choose Cubic Ink®?

Adopting Cubic Ink® materials offers a compelling array of benefits for businesses looking to leverage the full potential of additive manufacturing:

Unleashed Design Freedom: The ability to print complex geometries, intricate internal structures, and organic shapes empowers designers and engineers to innovate without the constraints of traditional manufacturing methods.
Superior Part Performance: Parts produced with Cubic Ink® resins exhibit high mechanical strength, thermal stability, and chemical resistance, leading to more durable, reliable, and functional end-use components.
Accelerated Time-to-Market: Rapid prototyping and on-demand production capabilities drastically reduce product development cycles, allowing companies to bring new innovations to market faster.
Cost Efficiency: While initial material costs might vary, the overall cost savings come from reduced tooling expenses, minimized material waste, part consolidation, and the ability to produce customized items without large minimum order quantities.
Enhanced Customization: From personalized medical implants to bespoke consumer products, Cubic Ink® materials facilitate mass customization, enabling tailored solutions for individual needs.
Reliability and Consistency: Backed by ALTANA’s stringent quality controls and material science expertise, Cubic Ink® materials offer consistent performance batch after batch, ensuring predictable results in production environments.
Expert Technical Support: Customers benefit from ALTANA’s deep technical knowledge and support, assisting them in material selection, process optimization, and application development, fostering a true partnership in innovation.

The Future is Bright: What to Expect from Cubic Ink®

Looking ahead, Cubic Ink® is poised for continued growth and innovation, driven by ALTANA’s unwavering commitment to R&D and market leadership. The company is actively investing in the development of next-generation materials with even more advanced properties, including enhanced thermal management, improved long-term stability, and greater functional integration. Expect to see new formulations that push the boundaries of mechanical performance, potentially incorporating composite elements or smart material functionalities. Furthermore, sustainability is becoming an increasingly important aspect of their development pipeline, with research focused on materials derived from renewable resources and those designed for easier recycling. Cubic Ink® also aims to expand its global footprint and strengthen collaborations within the additive manufacturing ecosystem, ensuring that their cutting-edge materials continue to define the future of industrial 3D printing. Their long-term vision is to be synonymous with high-performance, reliable, and innovative material solutions that enable industries worldwide to fully capitalize on the transformative power of additive manufacturing.

What do you think of Cubic Ink® materials and their potential impact on additive manufacturing? We invite you to share your thoughts and insights in a comment below or engage with us on our LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages! Don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly Newsletter here to receive the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox! You can also find all our videos, including more insights into additive manufacturing innovations, on our YouTube channel.