Us industrial 3D printing maker $Desktop Metal(DM.US)$plans to launch a foam called FreeFoam, which could significantly improve the production methods of sneakers, car seats and other types of manufacturers, Zhitong Financial APP has learned.
The product is a new photopolymer resin foaming material that will be on display at the Michigan trade show next week. The 3D printing foam can be heated and expanded in the oven as needed by the manufacturer as it approaches the final use or assembly node, a process that helps manufacturers, including sneakers, furniture, and car seats, save transportation and inventory costs.
Ric Fulop, founder and chief executive of Desktop Metal, says his company's customers include BMWYY.US and TM.US, as well as SpaceX. Fulop said traditional foam products were "dense and heavy", making transport inefficient. Today, FreeFoam allows manufacturers to 3D print products that match their desired shape and durability, weigh much less than traditional foam, and 3D printing produces much less waste of raw materials in the production process than traditional manufacturing methods.