Eastman Chemical : 2016, Jan 06 - Eastman colorFabb Announce 3D Printing Filament With Broader Processing Capabilities

​Kingsport, Tenn., USA - Jan. 6, 2016 - To address an industry need for a broader processing filament, Eastman Chemical Company and colorFabb BV are announcing an enhanced product for the 3D printing industry. nGen, a new product made with Eastman Amphora™ AM3300 3D polymer, adds functional properties and top print quality to the filament line, and has the ability to print within a wide processing range.

The new filament will be showcased at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Jan. 6-9. At the show, the companies will be exhibiting with Aleph Objects, Inc., makers of the award-winning LulzBot® desktop 3D printers.

nGen is a colorFabb offering made from Eastman's Amphora range of copolyesters designed specifically for 3D printing. Like the colorFabb_XT filament that came before it, nGen is a tough, low-odor and styrene-free offering that is suitable for most day-to-day 3D printing activities. With advanced features, nGen is easy to use and reliable, designed for a wide range of 3D printing enthusiasts.

With its ability to work at a large range of processing temperatures, nGen stands out from other filaments. It processes at a low temperature of 428-464°F (220-240°C) and has an elevated heat resistance of 185°F (85°C). Its ability to dissipate heat faster than other types of filaments improves the performance on overhanging surfaces. All of this makes nGen a reliable, highly efficient filament that can quickly print functional, durable and attractive creations in less time.

'nGen empowers a larger panel of users to create tough and useful items, as the filament is appropriate for anyone who wants to print a variety of objects without compromising quality, performance, color or strength,' said Ruud Rouleaux, managing director, colorFabb. 'This industry is evolving, and the types of consumers and professionals who engage in 3D printing are increasing, sparking a need for materials that support this growth.'

Eastman Amphora™ AM3300 3D polymer provides nGen with many of its high-quality attributes. This new-grade polymer maintains many advantages of the Eastman Amphora™ 3D polymer, but with a few differentiating qualities. Amphora AM3300 has good flow properties through the printer nozzle, even at lower temperatures, and is not impacted by humidity and moisture from the environment, resulting in stable printing results with less waste. The combination of these qualities makes for a material that is easier to process no matter the user's experience level.

'After our initial launch of Eastman Amphora™ 3D polymer, we wanted to advance the offering to the next level. This led to the development of a polymer that allows for broader processing material, increasing the type and quality of objects that can be created and who can create them,' said Alex Dudal, market development representative, Eastman Chemical Company. 'Eastman Amphora™ AM3300 3D polymer is reliable and easy for people to use, so even casual users can work with an advanced filament.'

nGen has 17 varieties in its initial portfolio, including 16 colors - such as green, orange, yellow, gold and silver - as well as one clear filament. Each are available in two diameters: 2.85 mm and 1.75 mm.

At CES, Eastman and colorFabb will collaborate with Aleph Objects, Inc. - to showcase nGen as the new filament officially supported for use with its LulzBot® line of 3D printers. Visit Booth 72117 in Halls A-C in the 3D printing marketplace at CES to learn more and see the filament in action.