Replique, part of the internal venture builder of BASF and the creator of a digital distributed manufacturing platform that enables OEMs to provide spare parts on-demand, has announced the creation of a partner network of authorized materials vendors. The move represents an important step in the company’s objective to make its 3D printing platform accessible to more OEMs and provide best-in-class and tailored materials to industrial customers.

Importantly, the partner network, which initially comprises LEHVOSS Group, Evonik Industries, Forward AM and igus GmbH, will ensure that the required standards pertaining to the development, manufacture and certification of advanced materials, are met in order to qualify industrial production in 3D printing of spare parts. As part of an automated quality documentation process, a certificate of analysis, stating that the supplied materials meet the required specifications, is provided and linked to each part, and then saved on Replique’s digital inventory platform.

The Synergies of Replique and Its Trusted Material Partners

Within the collaboration, Replique analyses customer business cases and requirements. By this, the company identifies, where adjustments or improvements of current materials or the development of new options are necessary to meet the exact needs of end-customers, for example with application specific material tests.

Via its platform, Replique provides the material partners with an anonymized overview of used legacy materials from screening activities in customer onboarding phases. With this knowledge, the partners benefit from an accelerated and more targeted material development process, tailored to the needs of Replique’s customers.

With exclusive beta tests, Replique is able to create a win-win situation. While material manufacturers receive a first business case, Replique’s customers enjoy a head start by receiving early access to the latest developments. If necessary, individualized materials can be developed for specific use cases.

The Open Network Solution Boosts Industrial Production

“With our trusted material network, we have created a solution to provide our customers with industrial grade material systems. Overall, the cooperation will transform the usability of 3D printing beyond prototyping towards serial production and industrialization, e. g. by achieving a faster part qualification through close iterations with material development, certifications and replacement of legacy materials. Our aim is to find the best solution for our clients,” says Dr. Max Siebert, CEO and Co-Founder of Replique.

“Through the partnership with Replique we can determine and offer the best material formulations for professional end user applications. The information given by Replique helps us to broaden our reach and to generate superior material solutions.” – says Dr. Stefan Schulze, Director 3D Printing Materials at LEHVOSS Group.

“We believe that the open network approach with Replique and other partners will provide OEMs a great possibility to experience all benefits of additive manufacturing and we look forward to industry-defining projects made from our INFINAM^® high-performance materials in the near future.” – Sylvia Monsheimer, Head of Industrial 3D Printing, Evonik.

“The combination of Forward AM’s expertise in 3D printing materials and Replique’s advanced knowhow in 3D printing platforms will enable us to leverage synergies in the Additive Manufacturing industry. With our common BASF background, we strongly believe this partnership is connecting the right dots: application specific materials combined with a network of trusted partners. This way we can better address the needs and requirements of our customers with application-tailored solutions.“ – Anke Johannes, Director of Sales Europe & Market Development, BASF 3D Printing Solutions.

„We are happy to be on board on Replique’s print-farm network with our materials and services. Combining all these materials and service providers, makes it easier for the user to find the right material and/or partner. Especially unique materials as ours, which are specialized for wear and friction applications.” – igus GmbH.

Moving forward, Replique aims to increase its network of trusted material partners, both in polymer and metal.

About Replique

Replique was founded by BASF employees from the fields of materials science and digitization. Their idea was to digitize and produce spare parts on demand so that they are available anytime and anywhere. To realize this vision, the team joined Chemovator GmbH, the internal venture builder of BASF, in early 2020.

Replique provides a secure digital platform that enables OEMs to provide parts on-demand to their customers through a global and decentralized 3D printing network. As an end-to-end solution, Replique supports its customers along the entire value chain, including design, technology and material selection, and digital warehousing.

About LEVOSS Group

With the 3D printing product lines LUVOSINT® and LUVOCOM® 3F the LEHVOSS Group offers innovative and customized polymers for 3D printing. They are dedicated to the most common technologies as powder bed fusion, fused filament fabrication (FFF) and fused granulate fabrication (FGF). The materials provide good processability and excellent material properties. 3D Printing Materials (luvocom.de)

About Evonik

Evonik is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. The company goes far beyond chemistry to create innovative, profitable and sustainable solutions for customers. About 33,000 employees work together for a common purpose: We want to improve life today and tomorrow. Evonik bundles its expertise in 3D printing in the Additive Manufacturing Innovation Growth Field. The strategic focus is on the development and production of new high-performance materials for all major polymer-based 3D printing technologies. Within this framework, Evonik has organized its product range of ready-to-use materials under the new INFINAM® brand.

About Forward AM – BASF 3D Printing Solutions GmbH

BASF 3D Printing Solutions GmbH, headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany, is a 100% subsidiary of BASF New Business GmbH. It focuses on establishing and expanding the business under the Forward AM brand with advanced materials, system solutions, components and services in the field of 3D printing. BASF 3D Printing Solutions is organized into startup-like structures to serve customers in the dynamic 3D printing market. It cooperates closely with the global research platforms and application technologies of various departments at BASF as well as with research institutes, universities, startups, and industrial partners. Potential customers are primarily companies that intend to use 3D printing for industrial manufacturing. Typical industries include automotive, aerospace, and consumer goods. For further information please visit: www.forward-am.com.

About igus GmbH

igus GmbH develops and produces motion plastics. These lubrication-free, high-performance polymers improve technology and reduce costs wherever things move. In energy supplies, highly flexible cables, plain and linear bearings as well as lead screw technology made of tribo-polymers, igus is the worldwide market leader. The family-run company based in Cologne, Germany, is represented in 35 countries and employs 4,900 people across the globe. In 2021, igus generated a turnover of €961 million. Research in the industry’s largest test laboratories constantly yields innovations and more security for users. 234,000 articles are available from stock and the service life can be calculated online. In recent years, the company has expanded by creating internal startups, e.g. for ball bearings, robot drives, 3D printing, the RBTX platform for Lean Robotics and intelligent “smart plastics” for Industry 4.0. Among the most important environmental investments are the “chainge” programme – recycling of used e-chains – and the participation in an enterprise that produces oil from plastic waste.