News Plastech
Plastics account for an estimated 50 to 60 percent of medical devices. Their role spans disposable products, implants, tubing and packaging, with medical-grade materials required to meet defined criteria for biocompatibility, sterilizability and quality.
Deckerform will present its in-house plastics workshop, cooperation with Possehl Consulting and a live hot-stamping application with Leonhard Kurz at Fakuma. The company will also outline two projects completed within six and eight weeks.
Plastics account for about 50 to 60 percent of medical devices, according to BVMed. Their role in healthcare covers disposable products, implants, packaging and precision components for personalized medicine.
Plastics are becoming a key enabler of frugal vehicle design, combining lightweight construction, functional integration and circularity. Their role extends from exterior structures to intelligent interior surfaces and recycled material streams.
SKZ and Fraunhofer IPA are working on a low-temperature PBF-LB/P process for plastics. The aim of the PimP project is to reduce powder aging, increase the share of material that can be reused, and improve the cost and resource efficiency of the process.
The first edition of 3DPlastLab, an area dedicated to innovation in additive manufacturing within Plast 2026, brought together researchers, designers, universities, start-ups and companies from multiple countries. The presentations focused on materials, their functionality and industrial applications.
Emirates Biotech will present Embio PLA biopolymers at Saudi Plastics & Petrochem 2026 in Riyadh. The event will also mark the official introduction of this portfolio to the Saudi market.
In response to EU Regulation 2024/3190, igus has developed the iglidur A351 material for machine components that come into contact with food. The material is free of BPA and BPS, complies with FDA requirements, and is available in several processing forms.
3DForce implemented a 6-axis Dobot CR10A cobot, purchased via the RBTX platform with igus support, to automate the installation of O-rings on fittings. The workstation was also equipped with a vision system, increasing process autonomy and repeatability.
At Plast 2026 in Fiera Milano (9–12 June), the 3D Plast area will be transformed into 3DPlastLab, a format featuring a continuous programme of talks and presentations focused on additive manufacturing. The organisers announce four thematic areas and awards for the most innovative projects.
HP has unveiled the Multi Jet Fusion 1200, bringing industrial MJF technology to the compact segment at a price below USD 60,000. The system is intended to address prototyping, protection of confidential data and short-run production needs.
Evonik will present high-performance polymers and plastic additives at Chinaplas 2026. The company will showcase solutions for e-mobility, low-altitude aviation, healthcare, 3D printing and plastics recycling.
The medical device market is growing rapidly, driven by advanced plastics, new processing technologies, and increasing requirements for precision, digitalization, and sustainability.
igus has introduced the PTFE-free iglidur i190PF filament, offering wear properties comparable to the injection moulding material iglidur W300 and a 100-fold better wear rate than standard PETG in a pin-on-disk test.
On 3–4 June 2026, the NEC Birmingham will host a co-located event combining eight leading UK manufacturing and engineering shows, covering plastics, additive manufacturing, automation and smart factory solutions, among other sectors.
BMT has developed a smart prototyping approach that combines simulations, 3D-printed moulds and lab-scale blow moulding trials to accelerate PET bottle development, reduce design risk and cut tooling costs before metal moulds are produced.
By early March 2026, 527 exhibitors from 34 countries had already registered for Formnext 2026, with 64.5 percent coming from outside Germany. The Frankfurt trade fair remains a key platform for the global 3D printing and Additive Manufacturing market.
The Dutch company CEAD has integrated a Weima WLK 4 shredder into its large-format 3D printing lines to process thermoplastic composite waste into material for reuse. Research is underway on repalletizing the resulting flakes.
At JEC World 2026 in Paris, KraussMaffei will present a wide portfolio of composite and additive solutions, including LFI structural components, high-temperature plastic parts, and the powerPrint Flex and powerPrint Plus systems.
Formnext 2026 has announced the United Kingdom as partner country and introduced a new hall layout and a stronger focus on key user industries including orthopedics, aviation and automotive.
The 3DEXPERIENCE World 2026 conference in Houston will bring together SOLIDWORKS and 3DEXPERIENCE users, focusing on the role of artificial intelligence and virtual environments in design and manufacturing.
The REDES4VALUE project develops mechanical and chemical recycling processes for polyamide fishing net waste, enabling the production of recyclates and new polyamides for packaging, agriculture, automotive and 3D printing applications.
Xenia Materials and the Fly-Mi EUROAVIA Milano student team from Politecnico di Milano have developed the O.L.I.V.I.A. drone for the UAS Challenge 2025, using 3D-printed composite moulds made from carbon fibre reinforced polycarbonate XECARB 40-C20-3DP.
Igus has launched the iglidur i4000 resin for manufacturing precise, wear-resistant gears using DLP, SLA and LCD technologies. Compared with standard 3D printing resins, the material offers higher elongation at break and extended service life.
BW Converting’s Packaging Innovation Center in Green Bay provides converters with practical flexographic training, hands-on pressroom learning and live demonstrations of production equipment, including the PCMC Meridian Elite+ laser anilox cleaner.
The Formnext 2025 AMbassador Award has been presented to Irena Heuzeroth from the SKZ Plastics Center in Würzburg for the course “Certified Industrial Technician specializing in Additive Manufacturing”, developed with the Würzburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
The tenth edition of Formnext in Frankfurt am Main attracted 38,282 visitors and 804 exhibitors, underlining the growing industrial establishment of additive manufacturing and its expanding range of applications across sectors.
Formnext 2025 has opened in Frankfurt am Main, bringing together 803 exhibitors on 50,000 m² of space and presenting a broad spectrum of industrial additive manufacturing technologies, applications and trends along the entire process chain.
Plast 2026 will run on 9 to 12 June 2026 at Fiera Milano as part of MaTec, a combined format with Xylexpo and Composites Future spanning eight halls to encourage cross-sector synergies.
Formnext 2025 will mark the trade fair’s 10th anniversary with an expanded program, adding guided post-processing tours, live shows and interactive features to its three-stage format, special showcases, awards and partner country Spain.
Xenia announced Xecarb PA12-CF-ST, a 15% carbon fibre reinforced PA12 filament with a Super Tough upgrade and an HDT of 150 C, which will be presented at Formnext 2025.
KraussMaffei will showcase powerPrint Flex, a robot-based, modular large-format 3D printing solution, at Formnext 2025. The system combines the company's extrusion know-how with scalable cell architecture, enabling high-output printing of thin-walled, fiber-reinforced thermoplastics.
Formnext has announced the finalists for the 2025 Formnext Awards, highlighting advances in additive manufacturing across six categories spanning technology, applications and education. Public voting is open ahead of the fair, with winners to be named on 20 November 2025.
M.Tec Engineering GmbH will present a simulation method for additive manufacturing of thermoplastic components at Formnext 2025. The approach virtually validates warpage, dimensional accuracy and layer bonding to support predictable, industrial 3D printing.
Hasco, Arburg and Polar-Form present the Domino project, a mould concept that uses a 3D-printed hot runner to produce multiple 2-component parts in a compact family mould. The project will be shown live at K 2025 at the Arburg stand, hall/stand 13/A13.
HoliMaker SAS will showcase compact on-desk manual injection moulding solutions at K 2025 in Düsseldorf, highlighting HoliPress and the interface between 3D-printed mould inserts and conventional processing.