AM Polymers on Developing Innovative Plastic Powders for Additive Manufacturing

3D printing has evolved as a technology from a tool for prototyping to a popular manufacturing process. Increasingly, technical components are also being created using additive manufacturing (AM) for industrial purposes. As a result, a wide variety of industries, from automotive to aerospace, are now benefiting from the many applications of AM. However, in order for companies to really exploit the advantages of 3D printing over traditional processes, it is by no means only the choice of process that is important. Only with a suitable selection of materials can new technologies truly become a part of industrial applications and mature.

AM Polymers, an expert in the production of qualified plastic powders for Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and high speed sintering (HSS), is one of the pioneers on the market when it comes to the development of qualified powder materials with properties close to those of injection molding. We spoke with the two company founders, Andreas Wegner and Timur Ünlü, to find out more about the variety of materials on the market for additive manufacturing. In the interview, the two experts explain how they have succeeded in expanding this range.

3DN: Can you briefly introduce yourself and your connection to 3D printing?

Andreas Wegner: The entire AMP team came into contact with the technology during their studies or through the use of their own 3D printers. I have been involved with 3D printing since 2007. During my doctorate at the University of Duisburg, I focused my attention in particular on SLS and plastics – with a focus on a deep understanding of the technology as well as of robust processes. In doing so, I recognized early on the need to expand the range of materials for laser sintering in order to make 3D printing usable for applications that had been closed to date. For this reason, I started developing new powder materials in 2012.