NEW from BASF – Ultrafuse L316: metal filament for FDM printers

BASF is a recognized world leader in the chemical industry and the largest chemical producer in the world. The BASF Group includes subsidiaries and associates in more than 80 countries and operates six integrated production sites and 390 other production sites in Europe, Asia, Australia, the Americas and Africa.

The headquarters is located in Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has customers in more than 190 countries and supplies products to a wide variety of industries. Despite its size and global presence, BASF has received relatively little public attention since it abandoned manufacturing and selling consumer electronics under the BASF brand in the 1990s.

3D printing is changing the way products will be made in the future. With innovative solutions and materials targeting a wide variety of 3D printing technologies and with integrated engineering services, BASF 3D Printing Solutions GmbH constantly develops new applications in close cooperation with various industry partners.

NEW from BASF – Ultrafuse L316: metal filament for FDM printers

This is where the new metal for FDM printers comes in. You will find out why it is important and how it helps you in the following lines. The benefits of metal 3D printing are many, from the ability to produce much stronger parts to obtaining workable prototypes that can go straight into mass production without incurring other adjacent costs. Although initially nearly inaccessible, metal 3D printing is increasingly popular thanks to the large number of companies that have made viable adaptations capitalizing on the ever-increasing demand and generating rapid ROI and agility in the manufacturing environment rarely seen.

Additionally, as with iMake3D, 3D printing services offer design assistance and expertise, producing proof-of-concept parts.

BASF USL 316l fuse

Ultrafuse 316L is an innovative filament for producing quality 316L steel parts.

Ultrafuse 316L combines greater design freedom and low total cost. 3D printed parts acquire their final properties such as hardness and strength through a process of molecular disassembly and subsequent sintering (represents the process of compaction and densification of a solid by the application of heat treatment OR pressure] without the touch its melting point AND liquefaction COMPOUND) developed by BASF and considered a standard in the 3D niche.

As a filament, Ultrafuse 316 L is made of 80% stainless steel and has a 20% polymer content, which allows for easy printing.

Application examples using Ultrafuse 316L:

Ultrafuse 316L is convenient because:

•  works with any FFF printer, which means low hardware investment costs

• we use highly efficient post-processing technology used in the metal injection molding (MIM) industry.

• since it is a filament, handling the material is much safer and very simple. This allows the supply of the plume material to be much simpler than handling fine metal powders (as metal 3D printing is traditionally done).

Advantages of Ultrafuse 316L:

•  1.4 to 2 times cheaper than most metal powders with less hardware investment

Conclusion

BASF stands as the undisputed world leader and largest chemical producer globally, characterized by its massive scale and extensive geographical reach. The company operates a vast global network encompassing six integrated production sites and 390 other production facilities across more than 80 countries, with its headquarters situated in Ludwigshafen, Germany. This immense operational presence allows BASF to serve customers in over 190 countries and supply products to virtually every industry worldwide. Despite its colossal size and foundational role in the global economy, the company maintains a relatively low public profile. This lack of public attention is largely attributed to its strategic decision in the 1990s to cease the manufacturing and sale of consumer electronics under the BASF brand, refocusing entirely on its core B2B chemical production business.