B9Creations' 3D printer uses Mechnano's nanomaterials

3D printer manufacturer B9Creations (Rapid City, S.D., U.S.) has partnered with nanomaterial company Mechnano (Mesa, Ariz., U.S.) to expand its range of photopolymer materials to take additive manufacturing (AM) into scaled production applications.

This partnership brings together B9Creations’ B9 Core Series 3D printers and Mechnano’s nanomaterials functionalized with carbon nanotubes to deliver materials engineered for specific performance requirements. According to Mechnano, it is the first company to fabricate parts with carbon nanotubes using vat photopolymerization systems, which achieves static-dissipative properties and improves impact, tear resistance and tensile performance.

“The decision to partner with Mechnano was a natural step in expanding B9Creations’ additive manufacturing solutions,” says Shon Anderson, B9Creations CEO. “Mechnano’s engineering-grade materials are well-matched for the high throughput, precision and plug-and-play technology of the B9 Core Series systems to enable businesses to move from prototyping to production with ease.”

Mechnano’s proprietary technology, Mech^T, detangles and separates carbon nanotubes, then disperses them throughout AM materials without re-clumping. The resulting tubes can reportedly be tailored to specific performance requirements and deliver previously unattainable performance such as 50% increase in tensile strength, 200% increase in toughness or 850% increase in tear resistance. In addition, Mech^T can be functionalized to add properties like electrostatic discharge (ESD) to existing resins.

“B9Creations’ high-resolution printers are an excellent complement to Mechnano’s Technology, Mech^T,” says Mechnano CEO & co-founder Steven Lowder. “Working together, we will improve existing materials and create new resins to meet production applications’ needs.”