Press Release

March 14, 2013 Leuven, Belgium. Materialise is proud to announce the official launch of a new, highly flexible and durable material for 3D Printing: TPU 92A-1. Designers and engineers have been challenging Materialise to come up with a flexible 3D Printing material that is durable enough to withstand the wear and tear of an end-use product, and TPU is their response. The most notable of these challengers was Dutch fashion designer and guest member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, Iris van Herpen, who is known for pushing the boundaries of 3D Printing in the world of high fashion. In January this year, TPU 92A-1 made its debut on the catwalk during Iris van Herpen's Voltage Haute Couture show during Paris Fashion Week.

To watch the making of the dress:

TPU 92A-1: a flexible 3D Printing material with unique properties

If you compare the new TPU 92A-1 material with other flexible 3D Printing materials, you will find a tremendous difference in performance.
To see the material being tested:

The TPU 92A-1 is the only 3D Printing material that combines:

• Durable elasticity
• High tear resistance
• High resistance to dynamic loading
• High abrasive resistance
• Snappy response
• Good temperature range (-20°C to 80°C)

Why use Laser Sintered TPU 92A-1 material?

The new material TPU 92A-1 can be used for highly-flexible and abrasive-resistant parts in a wide range of applications such as:

• Small series of seals and gaskets
• Complex tubes, hoses and manifolds
• Elastic lightweight structures
• Components for the shoe, fashion and leisure industry
• Cushioning and shock absorption
• Rapid Prototypes of elastic components

As of now, this new material is available for all customers of Materialise's professional manufacturing and prototyping services. Materialise looks forward to the projects and products that will result from this new flexible material.

About Materialise
With its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium, and branches worldwide, Materialise has been playing an active role in the field of Additive Manufacturing since 1990. In addition to having one of the world's largest capacities of Additive Manufacturing equipment, Materialise also enjoys a stellar reputation as a provider of innovative software solutions. The advantages of Additive Manufacturing have been used by Materialise to develop unique solutions that make a world of difference for its many customers with their prototyping, production, and medical needs. These customers range from large companies in the automotive, consumer electronics, and consumables sectors; to famous hospitals, research institutes, and clinicians; to individual consumers interested in bringing their own unique creations to life through i.materialise or who want to purchase a celebrated .MGX design.

For more information, please contact:

Vanessa Palsenbarg
Corporate Communications Specialist, Materialise
Phone: +32 16 39 66 37
Fax: +32 16 39 66 00
Email: mailto:Vanessa.Palsenbarg@materialise.be?subject=Request%20from%20materialise.com
Twitter: @belgiancanuck or @MaterialiseNV
Visit: http://www.materialise.com/