RX-AM™
Free of Volatile Isocyanates
December 10, 2024 — MINNEAPOLIS and SELFKANT, GERMANY — In collaboration with the German professional association for occupational safety, BG ETEM tested to determine levels of hazardous chemicals during printing in Chromatic 3D Materials’ German production facilities and revealed no detectable volatile isocyanates. The RX-AM™ platform has therefore been deemed safe for workers without protective measures beyond a standard enclosure.
Many ingredients used in plastics processing, including isocyanates and plasticizers, can form volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that evaporate during fabrication. These can be harmful to human health, potentially causing asthma, inflammation and other conditions in exposed individuals. In particular, isocyanates have been flagged by the European Union as a special concern. They are widely used in making elastomers, flexible foams and industrial coatings and can be increasingly found in the automotive industry.
"What’s great about 3D printing is that production technology has become more accessible to all the innovators in our world. However, this accessibility of material processing can also pose hazards," said Chromatic founder and CEO Cora Leibig. "At Chromatic, we are committed to building safe chemistry and systems. These recent results confirm that our users can be confident that, while our system is built around active chemistry during the print process, risky exposure is minimized."
Chromatic’s materials are formulated to be free of plasticizers and volatile compounds. Furthermore, the company provides instructions to customers on safe material handling, as required by REACH in Europe, when initially installing RX-Flow 3D printers. Both measures help prevent exposure to dangerous chemicals, which is critical for protecting workers in the additive manufacturing industry.
About Chromatic 3D Materials
Chromatic 3D Materials is an additive manufacturing technology company focused on more flexible, cost-effective and sustainable manufacturing of industrial-strength elastomeric products. Its material portfolio includes printable polyurethanes and other durable thermoset elastomers for application in transportation, industrial seals and gaskets, textiles, medical devices and defense. Chromatic’s RX-AM™ materials and technology platform is based on Reactive Extrusion Additive Manufacturing, a type of deposition 3D printing that uses chemical reactions. In addition to proprietary resins, the RX-AM™ platform includes software and RX-Flow™ printers for use in standard and custom configurations.
Founded in 2016 by CEO Dr. Cora Leibig, Chromatic now has facilities in the US and Germany. The company serves more than 50 customers and development partners globally. Visit c3dmaterials.com email info@c3dm.com to learn more.