FreeFoam Is a Heat-Expandable, 3D-Printable Resin From Desktop Metal
FreeFoam is a new family of photopolymer resins containing heat-activated foaming agents that are 3D-printed with digital light processing.
A new family of photopolymer resins unveiled by Desktop Metal can be packed and shipped in compact forms and expanded on-demand, enabling new design freedom and eliminating expensive tooling and waste typically associated with foam production. FreeFoam contains heat-activated foaming agents, which are 3D-printed with digital light processing (DLP). The material can be programmed to expand a specific amount — between two and seven times its original printed size — in an oven near the point of use or assembly.
FreeFoam resins are printed similarly to other photopolymer resins but are true foams containing closed cells that can be printed in a lattice up to a fully dense design. The printed parts contain dispersed heat-activated foaming agents that create closed cell pores. When subjected to a brief heating cycle in an oven — at around 320-340°F — the foams expand depending on the grade of resin to achieve the desired final parts.
The process — shown in a video on Desktop Metal’s website — allows 3D printers to produce much larger foam parts than the original build area and eliminates the need for tooling. Because designers are no longer restricted in these ways, FreeFoam enables new design freedom as well as delivers a high strength-to-weight ratio.
FreeFoam will be printed exclusively on the ETEC Xtreme 8K top-down DLP system from Desktop Metal’s polymer 3D printing brand. It was launched as part of the DuraChain category of elastic, tough materials produced through a photo polymerization-induced phase separation process. Desktop Metal has released preliminary specifications for the line, and they plan to offer several grades of FreeFoam resins, enabling a variety of Shore hardness values as well as other specific material properties like water resistance.
Parts made with the material are already being manufactured within the automotive and furnishing markets. Broader commercial availability to industries including footwear, sporting goods, and health care is expected in 2023.
Now... how do I 3D print a new seat for my AE86?