BASF, Origin Collaborate with Footwear Manufacturer ECCO

BASF 3D Printing Solutions and open-platform additive manufacturing provider Origin has announced a collaboration with ECCO, a footwear manufacturer to develop a new approach to footwear production. The Danish ECCO Group, an innovative global manufacturer of high-quality footwear, is using the Origin platform with BASF’s Ultracur3D material at its R&D Center in Denmark headquarters. The initial results demonstrate outstanding detail accuracy and mechanical stability with Origin’s unique programmable polymerization process (P3).

Origin’s open platform coupled with BASF’s materials is said to meet even the most challenging requirements.

"Origin's newly developed printing system is optimally tuned for our innovative Ultracur3D photopolymer series," confirms Arnaud Guedou, business director photopolymer solutions, BASF 3DPS. "This enables end-users to achieve high processing speeds and a superb surface finish that faithfully reproduces even the finest textures and ensures outstanding mechanical stability."

The Ultracur3D product line by BASF 3DPS includes proven as well as newly developed photopolymers for use in various printing processes such as digital light processing, stereolithography, or with LCD equipment, and with Origin’s P3 process. The suite of Ultracur3D products features excellent strength and impact resistance, high elasticity and impressive long-term UV stability. It is said to be suitable for the production of prototypes as well as for mass production in practically all major industries.

"Not only did we work closely with BASF to develop new materials, but also the 3D printing processes for each of them," explains Charlie Vestner, senior vice president sales and marketing, Origin. "… we determined how we can achieve specific high-quality resolutions and process control that suit our  customers and their applicationsperfectly. We offer customers unrivalled control over the printing process – not just in designing their product, but also in the sheer scope of design options it offers, meaning it can be tailored precisely to each specific application."