Evonik, a German specialty chemicals company, has announced a software tool for 3D printing. The software, which is a first for the company, is designed to help manufacturers select the appropriate 3D printing process for a given part or component depending on their geometry, material and financial analysis of the design, which will ultimately save costs to 3D print a given part
Developed by Castor Technologies, the software will enable users to assess part printability for a given component, select the best material for a specific purpose, and attain cost and lead time estimates through CAD file analysis. The software can go as far as determining the break-even point for 3D printing with all the aforementioned considerations against traditional production methods.
Castor Technologies is an Israeli start-up that Evonik’s Venture Capital division invested in late 2019.
“With the software, broader adoption of 3D printing at a commercial scale is now possible,” commented Thomas Große-Puppendahl, Head of Innovation Growth Field Additive Manufacturing at Evonik. “These will offer us better insights into customer needs and preferences in order to develop new ‘ready-to-use’ materials.”
This tool will eventually help Evonik’s bottom line. The software will be able to suggest the use of Evonik’s additives that can modify material properties, for example, improving flowability or making the finished part more robust.
“The release of Evonik’s new software, which is powered by Castor’s technology, is a key step in expanding our product portfolio. We are thrilled about the opportunity to solidify the relationship with Evonik and look forward to materializing our vision to increase the number of end-use parts manufacturers using additive manufacturing,” said Omer Blaier, CEO of Castor.
