MOSCOW (MRC) -- Nexa and Henkel announce expanded collaboration to jointly develop turnkey AM production systems to accelerate adoption in targeted end use markets, said the cpmpany.
Nexa3D, the maker of ultrafast polymer 3D printers, today announced the opening of its first full scale additive manufacturing customer center; NEXTFACTORY in Ventura CA, in partnership with Henkel. Co-located within the Nexa3D global headquarters, NEXTFACTORY provides current and potential customers with direct access to every aspect of the additive polymer manufacturing (AM) process, from design decision support and optimization to full scale additive manufacturing operations including integrated post processing technologies, material formulation customization, colour matching and a variety of finishing options. Both companies plan to invite additional automation, process and software innovation partners to join NEXTFACTORY and be part of delivering complete end-to-end additive manufacturing solutions for volume production applications.
NEXTFACTORY will provide production professionals from around the world with access to the collective domain expertise, resources, tools, optimized functional materials and modular production and post processing equipment of Nexa3D and Henkel to develop their unique end-to -end production workflows. The center will serve as a full capability production scaling facility for customer looking to fasttrack their production scale up process development, material selection and optimization and production line design and procurement.
Nexa3D and Henkel teamed up to meet the accelerated demand for additively manufactured parts and assemblies in several key industries, including mobility, footwear, industrial and health products. Working together, Henkel and Nexa3D plan to deliver the full customer value of additive manufacturing by opening the aperture on functional materials, tailoring material properties, and providing colour matching and finishing options that suite customer specific requirements. At the center, production professionals who are ready to move into large scale digital manufacturing, can access and learn about latest design optimization tools including part consolidation, light weighting, and access proven methods to scale up to mass production. Customers can also experience a range of manufacturing state-of-the-art software tools including manufacturing execution systems, as well as post processing and finishing automation solutions.
As well as supporting customers, Nexa3D and Henkel plan to use the center to accelerate the adoption of additive production at scale for footwear, mobility, industrial and healthcare applications, by demonstrating to businesses how they can create an end-to-end solution using AM technologies.
To further support customers, Nexa3D and Henkel plan to open two more centers, one in North America and one in Europe, by the end of 2022.
Henkel are also partnering with Borealis and plastics solutions company Borouge to develop flexible packaging solutions for detergents containing both virgin polyethylene (PE) and high amounts of post-consumer recyclate (PCR) in efforts to increase sustainability.
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,176,860 tonnes in the first half of 2021, up by 5% year on year. Shipments of exclusively low density polyethylene (LDPE) decreased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 727,160 tonnes in the first six months of 2021, up by 31% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased. Supply of statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) subsided.
Henkel operates in three business units, including laundry and home care, beauty care and adhesive technologies.
MRC