Nexa3D and Addifab partnership to improve 3D printed tooling to injection moulders

Nexa3D and Addifab have announced a partnership to bring a novel 3D printed injection mould tooling platform to the world’s injection moulders.

The platform, Freeform Injection Molding (FIM) is based on 3D printing technology and enables the user to additively manufacture complex injection mould tooling in just hours. The tools are compatible with most thermoplastic materials and can also be dissolved, which allows the moulding of complex components that would otherwise be difficult – or even impossible – to mould with conventional metal tooling.

Addifab CEO Lasse Staal said: “Injection moulding is a complex process, and the tool building is the most complex part of the process. With Freeform Injection Molding, we provide injection moulders with a fully transparent set of tools that will allow them to fast-track tool designs and validations while raising the bar on tool innovation. Now we can take these capabilities to the next level by partnering with Nexa3D to broaden access and superpower performance.”

Nexa3D will supply its NXE 400 system, including the industrial 3D printer, to users of Freeform Injection Molding. Addifab will supply its proprietary tooling resins and post-processing equipment.

Nexa3D CEO Avi Reichental added: “I had the opportunity to witness the powerful impact of Freeform Injection Molding (FIM) for the first time at the RAPID + TCT conference in 2019, and was instinctively intrigued by its potential to reimagine additive tooling. As both Addifab and Nexa3D have since productised and industrialised our respective processes, it became obvious that together we can achieve much more by digitising injection moulding at convincing scale sustainably. I can’t wait to see the far-reaching impact of our collaboration.”

Nexa3D and Addifab will showcase their joint solution at the RAPID + TCT show in Detroit, 17-19 May 2022. The companies are also setting up joint Silicon Valley demo facilities.