US digital manufacturer Stratasys (Eden Prairie, Minnesota; www.stratasys.com) has developed a new thermoplastic for 3D printing. ASA, which is compatible with its “Fortus” 3D production systems – 360mc, 400mc and 900mc – can be used to produce prototypes, manufacturing tools and finished goods. Stratasys said ASA’s capabilities surpass those of ABS, offering UV resistance, strength and durability as well as a matte finish that greatly enhances printed text and other features.

Brendan Dillon, product manager at Stratasys, commented: “As 3D printing becomes a more mainstream production process, and parts are used for a longer period of time and in diverse environments, UV resistance becomes a must-have feature. Once customers use ASA, they may not go back to ABS.” For polymers in the 3D printing market see also Plasteurope.com of 17.09.2014.

ASA also offers exceptional surface finish and has the best aesthetics of any material available for fused deposition modelling (FDM), according to Stratasys. As it is a “green-flag” material, users of Stratasys Insight software will be able to make parts with ASA in a single click using the default settings. Applications include jigs and fixtures, electrical boxes, recreational vehicles and outdoor tools. ASA is available in black and ivory and at a similar price to ABS. It is compatible with current Stratasys SR-30 support material.

Meanwhile, Stratasys has agreed to buy GrabCAD (Boston, Massachusetts / USA; www.grabcad.com) in an all-cash transaction. The deal, for which terms were not disclosed, is expected to complete by the end of September, subject to the usual closing conditions.

“The addition of GrabCAD provides Stratasys with a leading cloud-based collaboration platform for engineering teams to manage, share and view CAD files. By increasing the collaboration and accessibility of 3D CAD files, we believe we can further accelerate the adoption of 3D printing solutions and Stratasys’ product offerings,” said David Reis, Stratasys CEO.