Cambrian by Atomstack is the world's first 3D printer for thermoplastic rubber filament and it's capable of handling traditional 3D printing tasks and producing rubber products. With this 3D printing innovation, users now have the option of printing in TPR (Thermo Plastic Rubber) which means that everything from sporting goods and shoes to medical devices can be prototyped and perfected.
The machine makes this possible thanks to a swappable extruder design, which includes one extruder for traditional filaments and another that's just for TPR. As Jason Li, Atomstack CEO, describes, "For years, the FDM 3D printing industry has been trying to develop a reliable way to print with rubber-like filaments. This has been difficult for a number of reasons including the fact that highly elastic filament materials are prone to jamming."
Image Credit: Atomstack
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Thermoplastic Rubber Filament
- The development of thermoplastic rubber filament for 3D printing creates opportunities in product prototyping and customization.
- Swappable Extruder Design
- The use of a swappable extruder design in 3D printers offers a solution to printing with highly elastic filament materials, leading to a range of applications in multiple industries.
- Rubber Product 3D Printing
- The availability of 3D printers capable of producing rubber products opens up possibilities for industries such as sporting goods, footwear, and medical devices to streamline prototyping and production.
Where This Applies
- Sporting Goods
- Thermoplastic rubber filament 3D printers offer an opportunity for sporting goods manufacturers to create customizable and innovative equipment with high performance materials.
- Footwear
- 3D printing rubber soles and components using TPR filament has the potential to disrupt the traditional manufacturing processes in the footwear industry, enabling customization and reduced waste.
- Medical Devices
- The use of TPR filament in 3D printing offers medical device manufacturers a more efficient and cost-effective way to prototype and produce customized parts, potentially improving patient care.
