VERBATIM LAUNCHES BIO-FRIENDLY 3D PRINTING FILAMENT DURABIO

Verbatim, a Japanese filament manufacturer belonging to the Mitsubishi Chemical Group, has launched a new biobased FFF 3D printing filament named DURABIO.

This material is composed of Polycarbonate (PC) and Polymethacrylate (PMMA) for optical and mechanical properties, high heat, scratch, and abrasion resistance as well as high light transmission and UV resistance.

“Verbatim’s goal is to drive new markets within the 3D printing industry and a key part of this is the introduction of specialist 3D printing materials that have been developed by Mitsubishi Chemical with DURABIO being the latest exciting addition,” said Hidetaka Yabe, President of Verbatim GmbH.

A renewable, transparent engineering filament

Initially, Mitsubishi Chemical developed DURABIO as a glass substitute. The biobased engineering plastic is free from BPA and its main monomer is based on a renewable source, i.e, isosorbide derived from the commonly used sorbitol feedstock.

DURABIO’s environmentally-friendly properties have led to its adoption in the automotive and mobile phone sectors for the production of touch screens, console and dashboard trims and exterior radiator grilles.

Mitsubishi Chemical added: “DURABIO is particularly designed for applications requiring exceptional durable transparency and visual appearance with scratch and impact resistance as well as chemical inertness.”

The filament will be available in transparent and high gloss piano black and piano white. Mass volume shipments of DURABIO will be available from January 2019 and new products are expected to follow from Verbatim including PET-G and high-speed PLA. Samples of DURABIO will also be available at Formnext in Messe, Frankfurt, where 3D Printing Industry will be reporting live.

Earlier this year, Verbatim filaments were specially optimized for use in 3DGence 3D printers through a collaboration between the two companies. This included BVOH and breakaway HIPS, water-soluble support materials for complex 3D printed objects.