Source: 3ders.org
While some of us may automatically think of the drug marijuana when the word hemp is mentioned, the material, which does indeed come from the same cannabis plant that marijuana does, has been used since at least the 18th century to manufacture such products as wax, rope, twine, cloth, paper, and even fuel. Now, in the tradition of using the versatile plant as a manufacturing material, innovative 3D printing filament company 3Dom USA have just launched their new product, Entwined, an eco-friendly hemp based 3D printing filament.
Entwined is the third product launched as part of 3Dom USA’s partnership with fellow North Dakota based bio-composite company, c2Renew. Together, the companies have been developing truly unique bio-based and sustainable 3D printing filaments, which include their coffee based filament, Wound Up, and their beer based 3D printing filament, Buzzed. You might also remember 3Dom USA for having developed a popular Glass Filled PLA 3D printing filament earlier in 2015.
Their new release, Entwined, is made from industrial hemp that comes from a nearby Manitoba, Canada hemp producer. Compared to corn crops, which are often used in PLA filaments, hemp crops grow denser and no not require herbicides or pesticides, making them a more ecological option for manufacturing purposes. Additionally, the company claims that their new material stands up against PLA materials in both quality and ease of 3D prints.
As you can see in the photos of objects made from the hemp 3D printing filament, Entwined does not contain any artificial dyes and has remained its natural golden-brown color. As Jake Clark, 3Dom USA CEO explains, “It’s almost iridescent in its ability to showcase different shades and densities within the same printed object. There’s a large amount of visible bio-fill, something you don’t get with standard PLA.”
While the color and grain may be distinct from PLA filaments, Entwined can still be used on any 3D printer that is equipped to 3D print in PLA materials. 3Dom USA has even tested their new material on a variety of 3D printer brands, such as MakerBot, LulzBot, and FlashForge, to assure that Entwined will work for you. Through testing, the company found that the bio-based filament prints best between 180-210 degrees Celsius, and they recommend starting off 10 degrees cooler than what you would use to print in PLA. If you are using a heated bed, which is not required, they recommend setting it to 45 degrees Celsius.
Entwined which is being launched today, can be purchased through 3Dom USA’s website. Each 1kg spool of filament, which is available in either 1.75mm diameter, or 2.85mm diameter, retails for $59 and will be shipped from 3Dom USA’s local production facility in Fargo, North Dakota. The filament itself comes spun around the 100% bio-based Eco-Spool.
Excitingly, the company has also given us a useful tidbit of information, as we have another innovative bio-based filament to look forward to in the spring, made from switchgrass. The switchgrass filament will be officially ready for shipments in April 2016, though preorders are possible through 3Dom USA’s site.
After coffee, beer, hemp, and switchgrass based filaments, we can hardly imagine what 3Dom USA will print with next!
Posted in 3D Printing Materials
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