Supplier perspective published in May 2023, featuring Sylvia Monsheimer and Dominic Störkle of Evonik. The material claims and development plans below reflect that period.
Additive manufacturing can reduce material use or improve part performance in suitable applications. Its environmental benefit is not automatic: material production, energy, yield, use and end-of-life all affect the outcome. This article presents Evonik’s approach to improving its polymer materials for 3D printing.
Design freedom can enable lightweight components, while on-demand production can reduce some inventory and transport needs. These opportunities need comparison with the relevant alternative at an equivalent level of function and service life. Powder losses, supports, failed builds and post-processing also belong in that assessment.
“In our specialty chemicals business with high-performance materials, we don’t see the various processing technologies in any sustainability competition,” explains Sylvia Monsheimer, who heads the Industrial 3D Printing market segment at Evonik. “People often tend to compare injection molding and 3D printing. But there is room for both on the market, and there are good reasons to rely on one or the other technology depending on the application, such as 3D printing for shorter product life cycles or injection molding for high-volume specialty parts.” In addition to the economic arguments, it is impossible to imagine parts production today without ecological aspects. When deciding for or against a processing technology, ecological influences such as sustainability in its many aspects or the various options for recyclability are considered in addition to costs per part.
For material suppliers, transparency about raw materials and manufacturing helps customers assess the eventual application. A favourable material indicator alone does not establish the environmental performance of the finished part.
Evonik presents sustainability as a driver of its product and business strategy, combining economic, environmental and social considerations.
Material selection and sustainability
Material production is one important contributor to an application’s environmental impact. “Sustainability is the core element for being successful in the future. We understand sustainability as a key growth driver and the cornerstone of our product portfolio, investments and innovation management. Sustainability is therefore an integral part of Evonik’s strategy.”, says Dr. Dominic Störkle, Head of the Additive Manufacturing Innovation Growth Field at Evonik.
At Evonik, the polymer experts take a holistic view on sustainability based on four main cornerstones:
- Improving reusability rates
- Reducing carbon footprint
- Saving fossil resources
- Recycling
Evonik says its approach considers production efficiency, material reuse, carbon footprint, water consumption, land use and end-of-life options. Comparisons need an explicit functional unit, system boundary and reference material; individual indicators should not be treated as a complete life cycle assessment.
Improving reusability rates
Evonik describes improved reuse of unprocessed PA12 powder within its “ZERO WASTE” approach. Reuse still depends on the material grade, refresh ratio and validated process conditions. The label does not establish that the whole production chain creates no waste or that powder can be reused indefinitely.
Reducing carbon footprint
In October 2022, Evonik announced INFINAM® PA12 powders manufactured with renewable energy at Marl, Germany. The supplier reported an almost 50% reduction in the relevant product carbon footprint, with the associated assessments certified by TÜV Rheinland. This is a material comparison, not a 50% reduction in all emissions from Evonik or from every printed part. The graphic below compares selected indicators with Evonik’s castor-oil-based Terra range.
Saving fossil resources
At publication in May 2023, Evonik planned to launch INFINAM® eCO later that year. Its mass-balance approach mixes fossil and renewable or circular feedstocks within existing production systems, then allocates the certified non-fossil contribution to selected products through accounting. This allocation should not be read as the directly measurable proportion of renewable molecules in each powder batch. The system boundary and certification rules matter when comparing products.
Recycling
Evonik also described work on end-of-life options for polymer-based 3D applications. Development work is distinct from an established collection and recycling route available to every customer.
Selecting a manufacturing route requires a case-by-case assessment of the required function, production volume and environmental impacts. Life cycle assessment can support this comparison when its assumptions and limits are stated. Evonik’s material strategy aims to support industrial additive manufacturing alongside injection moulding, extrusion and machining; it does not make one process preferable for every application.
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