Mospolitech: 3D printer for elastic materials

History

2025: Product Announcement

In mid-October 2025, it became known that a new 3D printer for elastic materials was developed at the Moscow Polytechnic University. Printed products can be used in a variety of fields, including the automotive industry, as well as instrumentation and machine tools.

The device was created by the Software 3D team. Most common extrusion additive printing materials are fairly hard and rigid, the researchers note. However, elastic materials are required in the manufacture of certain articles. Their glass transition temperature is in the negative range, which is why under normal conditions they already have high elasticity and low hardness. As a result, such materials can be deformed within the channel of the printing head. As a result, problems arise with the supply of filament (consumable material used in additive production) and subsequent extrusion 3D printing.

𝓲

Фото: Press service of the Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovative Development of the city of Moscow

Russian researchers have developed a unique extrusion mechanism for elastic plastics, involving a change in the physical properties of the material. In particular, pre-cooling is carried out in order to reduce elasticity. This is claimed to completely eliminate the problem of filament bending in 3D printing and other undesirable effects.

Experts emphasize that most GOSTs for products made of elastic materials assume the absence of porosity, which is a defect for cast products. But in additive manufacturing, porosity is controlled and is an advantage to produce products with optimal weight and strength. In general, in terms of their characteristics, printed products made of elastic materials correspond to analogues obtained by conventional methods.^[1]

Notes