Today’s $250-million market for 3D-printed elastomers represents only a small fraction of the $90-billion global elastomer market.

But that is changing. Rubber manufacturers and OEMs that use or produce elastomers are starting to explore 3D printing for a range of applications spanning industrial and consumer goods. From prototypes to finished components and aftermarket parts, the elastomers industry is getting on board with additive manufacturing.

Additive manufacturing can yield many benefits for your project, including unique designs, lower tooling costs, lead-time reduction and low-cost small-batch production (for replacement parts, for example). However, given the size of the elastomer 3D printing market compared to the overall elastomer market—$0.5 billion versus $90 billion—it's clear that many engineers working with elastomers have yet to adopt additive manufacturing. It's helpful to start with high-level business considerations first.

At Chromatic 3D Materials, people often ask us about the difference between flexible materials like elastomers and rubber. A portmanteau of “elastic polymer,” elastomers are engineered materials comprised of long chainlike molecules, or polymers, that are capable of recovering their original shape after being stretched to great extents.

Additive manufacturing is less common for elastomers than for plastics. There are several reasons why. The material is soft and flexible. It also deforms under stress, making it hard to manipulate during the 3D printing process. To overcome these challenges, specialized 3D-printing technologies and materials have been developed for printing elastomers.