Strategic partnership targets application development, utilizing Lubrizol’s thermoplastic polyurethane powder technology and FORECAST 3D’s advanced 3D printing capabilities
Carlsbad, CA – January 21, 2020 – FORECAST 3D, a leading specialist in plastic additive manufacturing from concept to series production, has announced its strategic partnership with Lubrizol, a world leader in specialty chemicals who recently announced the commercial release of its thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) ESTANE® 3D TPU M95A. This material is the only TPU certified for HP’s Jet Fusion 4200 series 3D printing solution.
FORECAST 3D, acquired in 2019 by powder metal and parts producer GKN Powder Metallurgy, specializes in plastic 3D printing, short-run manufacturing and high volume production services. A specialty chemicals expert, Lubrizol combines complex chemicals to optimize product quality and performance while reducing its environmental impact.
“Our initial experience and success with the Lubrizol TPU material has exceeded our expectations. We have quickly seen the customer applications that will be enabled in production with this new material,” said Ken Burns, VP Commercial, FORECAST 3D. “Partnering with Lubrizol, a world-leading materials expert, allows us to accelerate solutions for our customers.”
Emphasizing operational excellence and market expansion, the strategic partnership addresses application development in products, markets and design considerations for the TPU powder. A solution for newly-designed prototyping and scale-up manufacturing applications, Lubrizol’s TPU material features processing and cold unpacking properties while providing excellent elongation and tensile strength.
ESTANE® 3D TPU M95A powder was specifically formulated with high volume production in mind and is easy to unpack at room temperature (comparable to polyamide [PA]), while maintaining key material properties like high elongation and tensile, abrasion resistance and cold flexibility; traditionally associated with applications in footwear, automotive, industrial and electronics industries.
“We are excited about our partnership with FORECAST 3D and the possibilities that this relationship brings,” said David Pascual, Global 3D Printing Lead, Lubrizol Advanced Materials. “FORECAST 3D is a market leader in the 3D printing services industry and we are pleased that our material can help enable them to provide faster and more innovative solutions for their customers.”
Both FORECAST 3D and Lubrizol have partnered closely with HP as industry leaders to champion the industrialization of 3D printing. Lubrizol’s TPU powder has been exclusively developed for use in HP Jet Fusion 3D printers, which now runs on FORECAST 3D’s industrial-grade fleet. As a foundational partner in HP’s Digital Manufacturing Network, FORECAST 3D continues expanding its production scaling opportunities and overall market growth through innovative partnerships.
“Breakthrough innovation and strategic industry partnerships are critical to accelerate the transformation of digital manufacturing,“ said Fabio Annunziata, head of strategic alliances and partnerships, 3D Printing & Digital Manufacturing, HP Inc. “By continuing to deliver new materials for HP’s industrial Jet Fusion printers, FORECAST 3D and Lubrizol are enabling customers to manufacture advanced 3D-printed applications and production parts across industries.“
About GKN Powder Metallurgy
GKN Powder Metallurgy is a full metal shapes solutions provider, shaping powder metal into high performance and high precision components. It provides leading powder metal expertise and process experience to transform ideas into production. The company consists of GKN Hoeganaes, GKN Sinter Metals, and GKN Additive to provide powder materials, conventional components, and Additive Manufacturing production. We combine three focused businesses under one brand. Together it employs over 7,400 problem solvers over 30 locations, setting its global engineering network at the highest standard.
About FORECAST 3D
FORECAST 3D was founded in 1994 by brothers Corey and Donovan Weber, in a small garage with a single machine. Today, with over 45 industrial 3D printers in-house and three facilities, FORECAST 3D services companies of all sizes across all industries. Offering a diverse range of additive manufacturing technologies - with HP's Jet Fusion, FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling), DMLS (Direct Metal Laser Sintering), SLA (Stereolithography), PolyJet, as well as Urethane Casting and CNC Machining services - FORECAST 3D emphasizes its focus on the customer and the quality of parts delivered.
About the Lubrizol Corporation
The Lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is a market-driven global company that combines complex, specialty chemicals to optimize the quality, performance and value of customers’ products while reducing their environmental impact. It is a leader at combining market insights with chemistry and application capabilities to deliver valuable solutions to customers in the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets. Lubrizol improves lives by acting as an essential partner in our customers’ success, delivering efficiency, reliability or wellness to their end users. Technologies include lubricant additives for engine oils, driveline and other transportation-related fluids, industrial lubricants, as well as additives for gasoline and diesel fuel. In addition, Lubrizol makes ingredients and additives for home care, personal care and skin care products and specialty materials encompassing polymer and coatings technologies, along with polymer-based pharmaceutical and medical device solutions.
With headquarters in Wickliffe, Ohio, Lubrizol owns and operates manufacturing facilities in 17 countries, as well as sales and technical offices around the world. Founded in 1928, Lubrizol has approximately 8,700 employees worldwide. Revenues for 2018 were $6.8 billion. For more information, visit Lubrizol.com.
The ESTANE® brand is owned by The Lubrizol Corporation. Photo provided is owned by The Lubrizol Corporation.