01-22-2019: Jabil entered 3D printing materials business to develop custom products
Company announced the launch of Jabil Engineered Materials
On January 22, 2019, Jabil—one of the largest contract manufacturing and engineering companies in the world—announced the launch of Jabil Engineered Materials, a new initiative focused on developing and customizing materials for 3D printing tailored to industrial applications. The company also planned to introduce materials for FDM and SLS technologies to the market, distributed through a reseller network, marking a significant step toward increasing the accessibility and diversity of materials for 3D printing.
The new Jabil materials covered a wide range of polymers, including PA12, TPU, and PETG. Jabil also focused on developing materials with specialized properties such as electrical conductivity, flame resistance, and electrostatic discharge (ESD) capabilities, enabling their application in highly specialized industries such as aerospace and electronics.
At the same time, Jabil opened the Materials Innovation Center in Minnesota, offering comprehensive 3D printing solutions, including polymer formulation, material development, and ISO 9001 QMS certification. Engineers, chemists, and production experts collaborated with customers, overseeing the creation of custom powders and filaments.
The center facilitated a faster transition from prototyping to production with materials offering attributes like reinforcement, flame resistance, conductivity, lubrication, and ESD properties. A full range of services was provided, including compounding, extrusion, and powder production, system integration, and support for FFF, SLS, and HSS technologies on open platforms.
In subsequent years, the company announced a series of collaborations with leading 3D printer manufacturers worldwide and introduced materials that significantly exceeded conventional standards. One example is the PLA 3110P material presented in 2023, designed for use in Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) technology. Developed in partnership with NatureWorks, the material was based on Ingeo PLA and featured an 89% lower carbon footprint compared to PA12.
Source: www.jabil.com