Company Provides Carbon Fiber Materials for 3-D Printed Car and House that Share Power
CLINTON, Tenn., Sept. 23, 2015 – Techmer ES (Twitter: @TechmerES), a wholly owned subsidiary of Techmer PM, LLC (Twitter: @TechmerPM) and a leading producer of engineered thermoplastic compounds, has contributed its materials expertise to a new Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) project led by the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
The Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy (AMIE) project combines clean energy technologies into a 3-D printed building and vehicle as part of a new approach to energy use, storage, and consumption. It will be featured during a research demonstration at the DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Industry Day at ORNL in Oak Ridge, Tenn. on September 23-24.
Techmer ES is one of 20 ORNL partners contributing to the AMIE demonstration. The collective effort created an integrated energy system in which power flows via wireless technology between a natural-gas-powered hybrid electric car and a small solar-powered building. Power can flow in either direction, allowing the car to provide supplemental power to the house when the sun is not shining.
Components of both the building and car were created using additive manufacturing, or 3-D printing, on a BAAM system at ORNL’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility. Techmer ES created a unique carbon fiber-based formula that furthers ORNL’s objective of building additive manufacturing systems that are 200 to 500 times faster, and can print components 10 times larger than what was previously possible.
“Our innovative carbon-fiber materials are specially formulated for the growing 3-D printing market,” said Tom Drye, managing director of Techmer ES. “We are extremely pleased that ORNL chose Techmer ES to be part of this new project following the huge success of the 3-D printed Shelby Cobra.”
Techmer ES materials were also used to print the body parts of ORNL’s full-size 3-D printed electric Shelby Cobra replica. The car was featured earlier this year during President Obama and Vice President Biden’s visit to Techmer PM’s headquarters in Clinton, Tenn.
Mr. Drye will represent Techmer ES at the AMIE demonstration, which is intended to highlight additive manufacturing’s rapid prototyping capabilities in architecture and vehicle design. The event also facilitates networking to encourage further industry collaboration and bring new technologies into the marketplace. AMIE took one year from concept to launch.
“The AMIE project is important because it underscores Techmer’s ability to apply technology to create advanced solutions and support ORNL in showcasing additive manufacturing’s rapid prototyping potential,” said John Manuck, chairman and CEO of Techmer PM, LLC. “Within Techmer, collaboration is one of our core competencies. We always welcome opportunities in which we can contribute our talents and resources toward rapid innovation, and in this case, help inspire more energy efficiency breakthroughs.”
Other contributions include: Cincinnati Incorporated, which manufactured the BAAM machine used to print the parts; TruDesign, which finished and painted the printed house components; and Clayton Homes, responsible for assembly of the 3-D printed house sections.
Other partners on the project are: Alcoa/Kawneer, DowAksa, EPB, GE Appliances, Hexagon Lincoln, the Institute for Advanced Composite Manufacturing Innovation, Johnson Controls, Knoxville Utilities Board, Liberty Utilities, Line-X, Mach Fuels, NanoPore, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, Spiers New Technologies, and the University of Tennessee’s College of Architecture and Design.
Image Source: Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory
About Techmer ES
Techmer ES, a wholly owned subsidiary of Techmer PM, LLC, is a manufacturer of high-performance custom compounds used in the plastics industry. Its primary focus is delivering value solutions to the OEM and processing communities. The company’s products, which include lubricated, conductive, reinforced, and others, can be engineered to meet a broad range of specifications utilizing most thermoplastic resins from polyolefins to PEEK. Learn more by visiting techmeres.com.
About Techmer PM
Techmer PM is a major producer of value-added masterbatch and engineered compounds for the plastics and fiber industries. The company manufactures and sells masterbatch under its Techmer PM brand and engineered thermoplastic compounds through its Techmer ES subsidiary. The company has worldwide manufacturing capabilities focusing on high-performance applications where quality, technical support, and problem solving are critical. Techmer PM was recognized by Plastics News on its “Best Places to Work 2014” list. Learn more by visiting techmerpm.com.