Replique has released Material Hub, a database of over 500 industrial-grade polymer materials for 3D printing, making it free to access.
The collection contains double the amount of materials previously available, in collaboration with more than 85 providers, with further plans to expand the capabilities of the Material Hub by adding metal 3D printing materials alongside the polymers that are already available.
The platform allows manufacturers to search using technical filter options for the right materials in seconds. Technical specifications, industry standards and application fields are provided for each material.
Replique CEO Dr. Max Siebert said: “The public launch marks an important step in our mission to democratise access to additive manufacturing.
“We are committed to continuously enhancing the platform to meet the evolving needs of our users.”
Replique has included performance improvements in the public release following a beta testing stage, including an optimised search function.
This function allows users to be able to choose whether to search on a detailed level or a beginner-friendly level.
It also means that the platform can be used by stakeholders for research before making a decision about which material to use for manufacturing.
Another performance improvement means that users can directly request a quote to either have the parts produced through Replique’s network of more than 85 partners worldwide, or reach out to the material provider.
Engineers will then provide an offer based on the quote, and the user can order the materials digitally and have them sent to their location.
Mathilde Lepilliez, innovation manager and 3D printing engineer at Alstom, said of the platform: “Thanks to Replique’s support we were able to find the right material fast and efficiently.
“This Material Hub will become a part of our daily-basis tools to help us to develop 3D printing.”
