Research. Development. Innovation. These three pillars, now internationally unified under the name of R&D, have become one of the keys to the current market.
IT3D Group was born in a context where technological supply and demand were not at the same level. All kinds of companies were seeing how traditional processes were not achieving the same results. International economic and social evolution was the reason why R&D companies set to work to find a solution to the new needs.
Among these companies that are committed to research, development and innovation, we find the two protagonists of this article: IT3D Group and AIMPLAS.
AIMPLAS’ international influence
AIMPLAS is a Technology Centre with more than 30 years of experience in the development of innovative solutions in the field of plastic materials. Its commitment to improving people’s life quality and its commitment to enshrining environmental sustainability have made it a benchmark organisation worldwide.
Two of the most important points of AIMPLAS are:
- Research and development: AIMPLAS carries out advanced research in plastic materials, looking for solutions and continuous improvements in terms of properties, production processes, sustainability, recycling, etc.
- Sustainability and circular economy: The Technology Centre is constantly carrying out research to develop biodegradable, recyclable and more environmentally friendly materials, as well as techniques for recycling and reusing plastics to reduce their environmental impact.
These two highlights connect very clearly with the ambitions of IT3D Group. 3D printers and especially the pellet technology developed by Tumaker and distributed by IT3D, have become a key tool for AIMPLAS.
What are the advantages of the pellet technology distributed by IT3D Group?
3D printing with pellets developed by Tumaker brings with it advantages inaccessible with any other production method. Highlighting only the benefits applied to the research sector, we find:
- Material versatility: Flexibility in the choice of materials means no dependence on filament. This allows the use of any advanced material in pellet format, without exposing them to external filamentation processes. In addition, it enables total adaptation to the desired requirements in terms of strength, flexibility, transparency, conductivity, etc.
- Faster printing speed: By using pellets, the 3D printing process can be faster compared to other methods that require filament feeding.
- Freedom design and print size: Pellets can be cast and moulded into different shapes and sizes, making it easy to create objects with complex, customised geometries.
- Recycling and sustainability: 3D printing with pellets enables the use of recycled materials, which contributes to sustainability and promotes the circular economy. 3D printing waste, such as defective or unwanted parts, can be shredded and reused as pellets to print new parts, reducing material waste.
These advantages of additive manufacturing with pellets have not gone unnoticed by AIMPLAS. The Technology Centre has incorporated this solution into a large number of R&D projects. This consolidates the collaboration between IT3D Group and AIMPLAS.
Projects in which AIMPLAS and IT3D are collaborating
Having clarified the common points between AIMPLAS and IT3D Group and the advantages that the Technological Institute of Plastics finds in our solutions, we will now highlight some of the projects in which both entities are involved.
REALISTIC:
Realistic project focuses on the processing and creation of realistic anatomical models for surgical study and planning with new materials, using advanced 3D printing. These models allow medical professionals to plan and perform surgical interventions more accurately and safely.
IT3D Group has a strong presence in this project, providing pellet technology to simulate human tissues, and 3D scanning solutions to capture the 3D model of the organs to be simulated.
AIMPLAS is part of Realistic as a polymer developer and specialist in the manipulation of plastic materials.
Deglumed:
Deglumed is a project promoted by AIMPLAS that aims to provide solutions for people with swallowing problems when taking medication. To this end, R&D initiative focuses on the development of medicines/nutraceuticals that are easy to swallow and/or take in a single step using compounding technology and 3D printing.
IT3D Group is committed to this project as a collaborating company, providing advice and technological commitment.
Softronic:
The Softronic project focuses its main objective on the integration of different emerging technologies in the plastics sector to develop smart polymeric devices focused on the industrial robotics and health sectors.
AIMPLAS promotes this initiative with IT3D as a collaborating company specialising in additive manufacturing and 3D printing of thermoplastics. In addition to IT3D, entities such as Robotnik or Sinfiny, and reference companies in the health sector such as Tequir or COV Ortopedia are collaborating.
Nutrafarm:
The last project we are going to highlight is Nutrafarm. Also developed by AIMPLAS, it aims to research, modify and obtain pharmaceutical and nutraceutical compounds using Hot Melt Extrusion technology and 3D printing. These solutions allow us to obtain tailor-made medicines with different active ingredients.
IT3D Group has a direct presence as a partner in the Nutrafarm project. The range of 3D pellet printers developed by Tumaker is a key solution in achieving this goal.
Additive manufacturing in R&D
3D printing has become an indispensable solution in the R&D sector. Handling advanced materials in pellet format opens up a range of possibilities never experienced before. The ease of customisation, the materials variety and the improvement in performance that it brings with it, make this technology a key element in the present and future science.
Incorporating these technologies into ambitious projects such as those mentioned above has become a constant nowadays. Proof of this is the commitment of AIMPLAS, Technological Institute of Plastics, to incorporate the latest technologies into its most innovative initiatives.
Research, development and innovation continue to grow hand in hand. Contact us at www.it3d.com/en/ if you want to know more about the 3D universe.
