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Additional Context
For years, thermoplastics have been the workhorse of additive manufacturing (AM). They are pretty easy to process, available, and compatible with many of today’s industrial 3D printers. From prototypes to production tooling, thermoplastics have helped push 3D printing into factories across aerospace, automotive, defense, and consumer products. But as the industry takes on larger and more demanding applications, manufacturers are beginning to run into the limits of what thermoplastics can do.
Some applications demand more from materials. Parts used in aircraft, defense systems, and other harsh environments often need to withstand high temperatures and heavy use over long periods. That is leading researchers and manufacturers to take a closer look at thermosets, a type of material that has