Start-up Indmatec GmbH
Processing of High-performance Polymers
by Additive 3D Printing
The search for alternative production materials is an on-
going process in every industry. It is especially difficult to
find new materials that are lighter, but still possess the most
important properties desired. Indmatec GmbH, a start-up
of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, has specialized in 3D
printing of high-performance polymers and the materials
used for this purpose. High-performance polymers, especial-
ly PEEK (polyetheretherketone) are an attractive alternative
to metals, because they have the most important properties
and sometimes possess even improved parameters. While
PEEK is as light as aluminium, it has a strength similar to
that of steel. Moreover, it offers exceptional thermal proper-
ties, such as a deformation resistance of up to 250°C and a
Printed PEEK impeller (Photo: Indmatec GmbH)
KIT – The Research University in the Helmholtz Association
melting point of 343°C. It additionally has a high chemical
resistance and is 100% biocompatible.
The attractiveness of these properties has led to an exten-
sive use of high-performance polymers in many industries.
More and more individual parts are required in the medical,
aerospace, automotive or the oil and gas sector. As con-
ventional processing methods, such as milling and injection
molding, are quite expensive, Indmatec has specialized in
printing those materials with the FFF (fused filament fabrica-
tion) method, which represents an affordable alternative.
www.kit.edu
Indmatec has been the first company worldwide to effec-
tively print PEEK with the FFF method.

Since the process of printing PEEK is quite complex, a com-

bination of special software and hardware is required. Due
to the material‘s high temperature resistance, Indmatec has
developed a specific temperature-controlling combination of
heating bed and cooling system. This is crucial to preventing
material strain, while maintaining the material‘s exceptional
properties.

Additive 3D printing represents an economically efficient

method to produce a large range of conventional parts in
many industrial sectors. PEEK 3D Printer HPP 155 (Photo: Indmatec GmbH)

PEEK printed zygomatic bone (Photo: Indmatec GmbH)

Indmatec GmbH
Willy-Andreas Allee 19
76131 Karlsruhe, Germany

Tony Tran-Mai Prof. Dr. Brando Okolo

Phone: +49 721 680-308788 Phone: +49 721 680-308799
E-mail: info@indmatec.com E-mail: info@indmatec.com
www.indmatec.com www.indmatec.com

Karlsruhe © KIT 2016