FABULOUS provides certified food safety 3D printing materials to the United States

As is well known, 3D printing is becoming increasingly popular and expanding its application areas to different fields. Additive manufacturing has been established in the aerospace, automotive, and medical industries and is now being used in the production of consumer goods and luxury goods, construction, and food industries. On the one hand, this mainly involves innovative edible products from 3D printers, such as Barilla Revo Foods and Steakholder Foods have already sold products. On the other hand, 3D printing is increasingly being used to produce objects in contact with food. For example, these are food nozzles, fixtures, scrapers, plates, cutlery, packaging, or machine parts.

All items in contact with food must comply with strict regulations to ensure consumer safety. These rules and safety standards are necessary for end-users, but they are a significant challenge for material manufacturers as the regulations of relevant departments are very strict. In the European Union, Directive 10/2011 establishes standards for polymer materials to be certified as "food safety". In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates materials and procedures for food safety, particularly Title 21 of the Federal Regulations (CFR21). Therefore, the rules vary slightly in each country/region, and approvals also vary depending on the processing method of the materials.

For example, PLA is considered a food safety material by the FDA, provided that it is not colored; This also applies to PETG. Due to the fact that these materials are mainly processed using FDM technology, there is another issue as they may be contaminated due to contact with nozzles and hoses. SLS 3D printing eliminates this fundamental issue, making the process more suitable for processing food safety materials. However, if one carefully observes the available materials - PA11 and PA12- only a limited number of certified materials are truly safe for the end user. A manufacturer attempting to narrow this gap is FABULOUS. This French company has gained fame in Europe for its technology in 3D printing materials and is now seeking to establish a foothold in the North American market, thanks to its international patent expansion to the United States.

FABULOUS produces certified food safety PA11
FABULUS always focuses on applications and end-users when developing materials, creating innovative and easily accessible materials. FABULUS polymer powder can be used in approximately 90% of SLS machines and is competitively priced. Although the company also provides PA12 powder, its product range mainly focuses on PA11 materials. This makes FABULOUS stand out among numerous nylon powder material manufacturers. Although some manufacturers provide food safety materials, these materials have never been based on PA11. On the other hand, FABULOUS has achieved great success in Europe with its PA11 powder based on food safety, and the company now hopes to continue its efforts in North America.

Compared to PA12, The characteristic of PA11 is its biological source and it is also recyclable. This is also one of the reasons why more and more companies are using PA11 to manufacture terminal parts now. With its wide range of materials, FABULOUS has gained an advantage in European competition and is committed to expanding these business opportunities to other dimensions.

BLUE CARE and DETECT materials have played a crucial role in the success of Europe. These can be used for blue safety plastic components, which are used in production lines in various industrial sectors, and due to their prominent optical blue color, they can identify foreign objects or plastic fragments in food. Both are bio based and natural raw materials, and have been developed into PA11 powder for 3D printing without the need for additives or organic pigments. In addition, compared to PA12, PA11 has undergone genuine food contact certification. In fact, PA12 comes from petroleum and does not meet FDA requirements for 3D printed components. In addition, it is also composed of additives such as titanium dioxide prohibited by the European Union. Therefore, PA11 blue and detectable powder ensure the health and safety of end consumers and ensure necessary certification. Both of these materials have been certified by the European Union/2011-1935/2004 and by FDA CFR 21 in the United States, which is the highest food contact certification applicable in the United States.

FABULOUS will showcase its materials at RAPID+TCT in Los Angeles. These are already available and have established partnerships with machine manufacturers and distributors in the United States. In order to further expand its range of safety and security products, FABULUS is currently researching other innovative materials, which will be launched on the market by the end of this year. You can learn about the existing FABULUS materials here and see them firsthand at several RAPID+TCT partner booths, including the Akoma booth.

Source: Laser Net