Ferrolite is a UV curable iron resin for SLA and DLP additive manufacturing

Tethon 3D, manufacturer of technical ceramic materials for additive manufacturing, today announced the launch of a new UV curable metal resin material, Ferrolite™, for 3D printing in SLA or DLP 3D printers. Tethon 3D will introduce this material for the first time this week in their exhibit booth at RAPID + TCT 2018 (Fort Worth Texas April 24-26).

Ferrolite, an iron polymer, may be used as a composite directly from the printer, or it may be sintered to achieve a high-density pure iron metal object. This new material can make metal 3D printing affordable for both commercial and consumer applications, as it is compatible on a wide range of desktop printers. By 3D printing complex geometries in Ferrolite and sintering, the user can achieve a metal object that is rigid, durable and heat tolerant.

Sintering temperatures of 900 to 2800 Fahrenheit are appropriate and user-defined by the functional application desired. Ferrolite parts are magnetic receptive and have high strength - even in a "green" unfired polymer composite state. The Ferrolite composite can also be machined or polished to a glossy metallic surface, if desired.

"Building upon our diverse portfolio of technical ceramics, we are extremely excited to enter the promising metal materials market," said Karen Linder, cofounder and CEO of Tethon 3D. "We want to provide this experimental metal material to those who wish to disrupt the metal 3D printing market, change how metal parts are designed and produced, and break boundaries. Inquiries for R&D testing are currently being accepted."

Applications for Ferrolite will include tooling, automotive, iron artifact reproduction, chrome finished parts, and more. Ferrolite will be commercially available in mid-2018.