Two Swedish startups, 3D printer manufacturer Wematter and graphene-solutions provider Graphmatech, have partnered to develop electrically conductive polymer powder for use in additive manufacturing.
The high-performance, graphene-infused powder could enable telecoms, aerospace, and automotive manufacturers to print parts with improved mechanical properties, electrostatic dissipative shielding, lower resistivity, and higher performance.
The electrically- and thermally conductive powder will have improved processibility and will be tailored for Wematter’s ‘Gravity’ selective-laser-sintering (SLS) 3D printer.
According to Graphmatech, this will be the first time selective laser sintering is used together with its Polyamide 11-Graphene powder in an industrial way.
'With this new strategic partnership, Wematter and Graphmatech will be able to offer customers in the telecommunications, aerospace, and automotive industries a competitive advantage', said Robert Kniola, CEO and co-founder of Wematter. 'We see a great potential in working with Graphmatech because they have a proven capability of developing cutting-edge graphene-based materials for SLS 3D printing.'
Dr Mamoun Taher, CEO and founder of Graphmatech, added: 'The graphene-enhanced powder will meet the needs of some of the most demanding customers in the telecommunications, aerospace, and automotive industries. The Gravity system by Wematter is an appealing SLS system for printing our high-performing graphene-enhanced powders. The innovative powder handling system developed by Wematter makes the Gravity system very user friendly, which is key when introducing new powder products to the market.'