Additive Manufacturing with Polyurethane

A new process called Liquid Additive Manufacturing (LAM) makes it possible to print components on textiles from polyurethane

Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, is now widely used to add components to textiles, such as smart textiles, filter media, and fuel cell membranes, but so far these components have been applied through photocuring of polymers or silicones

3D printing offers greater freedom in design, allowing existing functions of textiles and textile components to be optimized and more functional to be added

In the LAM process, the two reactive components are usually mixed in a mixing and metering unit and printed directly on the textile

Additionally, curing Wevo reactive resins does not require a light source because the mixing of the resin and curing agent components causes the chemical reaction to begin after the mixture is dispensed by the printhead

The chemical structure in polyurethane is very similar to that in polyamide, polyester, polyacrylonitrile and elastane, which promotes the formation of hydrogen bonds and ensures that the material sticks to synthetic fibers significantly better than silicone

The choice of polyol components used in the resin formulation of Wevo products, and their combination with the correct curing agent components for a specific application, also allows the mechanical properties of the product to be tuned between very soft, elastic and very hard

The wide range of other functions provided by these Wevo products can be customized according to individual requirements

There are many potential applications for Wevo products, from designer and decorative elements to structural reinforcement or logos and lettering