HEMP PRODUCT: 3D Printed Objects
SUB MARKETS: Filaments, Design, Fashion, Prototypes
Day 29 of our 31 Days of Hemp campaign puts an old spin a new technology: 3-D printing with hemp. Three dimensional printing, though still a modern and growing industry, uses two types of filaments (i.e. source material similar to ink in conventional 2-D printers): ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and PLA (Polylactic Acid). Which filament to choose is usually based on the end use of the object and how much one cares about waste impact. PLA blends are bioplastics that are recycleable, biodegradable, less toxic and better smelling when printing. While a few companies have demonstrated the possibilities of printing with hemp plastic alternatives, it is still a fertile area for development.
Other ways hemp plastic is a better alternative:
- Recyclable
- Renewable
- Carbon-sink / negative
- Short maturation life (~4 months)
- 5x stiffer than polypropylene (PP)
- 2.5x stronger than polypropylene (PP)
- No DEHP leaching
- Non-toxic
- No BPA
VENDORS / MORE INFORMATION:
- Lotus Board (Manufacturer)
- Matterlab (R&D / Supplier)
- Hemp Plastic (Supplier)
- 3D Printing Industry (Info)
- 3D Hubs (Info)
- Culture Magazine (Info)
- 3ders.org (Info)
- 3D Print (Info)