Essentium’s DryBox Stores, Protects 3D Materials

Essentium Inc. and ECD have partnered to create the Essentium DryBox, an intelligent dry storage system for industrial-scale 3D printing. The cabinet is designed to store and protect 3D printing filaments in a humidity-controlled environment.

DryBox was developed exclusively to meet 3D printer material requirements. The moisture content in thermoplastic extrusion materials used by 3D printers needs to be properly controlled during filament manufacture, storage and when printing to achieve best results. Improper handling at any point in the production cycle can result in both visible and invisible defects in raw materials and the finished part.

To help manufacturers properly store 3D printing filaments, Essentium and ECD tailored DryBox using ECD’s SmartDRY storage technology, modifying it to align with the specific requirements of 3D material storage. DryBox is an intelligent, automated system that has a humidity recovery time of less than five minutes and can maintain relative humidity values under 1% (dew point under -40°C). This means spools stored in the cabinet will stay dry longer, giving manufacturers the flexibility to swap materials as often as the workflow requires.

“In today’s open platform environment in which users can purchase and print using any filament they choose, it is important to dry each polymer at the appropriate time and temperature recommended by the manufacturer,” says Brandon Sweeney, Ph.D., head of R&D for materials and co-founder, Essentium Inc. “We designed the DryBox with ECD to ensure manufacturers, particularly those in highly regulated industries such as aerospace, rail, automotive and electronics manufacturing, have an optimum environment that keeps 3D printing materials dry, extends shelf life and yields more consistent prints with better part quality.”

The Essentium DryBox is designed for industrial-scale 3D printing for all materials and is available in two sizes. The DB90 cabinet holds up to (24) 750 g spools, (8) 2.5 kg spools or (6) 15 kg spools; while the DB270 cabinet holds up to (72) 750 g spools, (24) 2.5 kg spools or (18) 15 kg spools.