SRI develops 3D-printable rubber with high resilience, durability

Kobe, Japan – Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) has developed a new rubber material that can be processed using a 3D printer.

In a 19 June statement, SRI said until now it was not possible to produce ‘true rubber products’ using 3D printers.

According to the group, previous materials were rubber-like resins, which lacked the performance of real rubber.

The new material, developed using the company’s rubber formulation and structural analysis expertise, retains the key features of rubber.

"We succeeded in creating a rubber material for 3D printing that maintains the elasticity, rebound performance, and durability of real rubber," said SRI.

The material, the Japanese group added, "withstood 20 million cycles of repeated compression testing without performance loss."

This will enable the production of items that require the properties of rubber such as elasticity, shock resistance, flexibility and slip resistance, which according to SRI are not achievable with standard 3D-printed plastics.

The development will expand the use of rubber-based 3D printed products in various fields such as robotics, medicine, automobiles, and sports.

For instance, the material can be used to create the fingers of a robot hand, which requires the same slip resistance as a human fingertip.

Similarly, organ simulation models for medical training can be made with the rubber material to provide the same flexibility and elasticity as human organs.

SRI is aiming to commercialise the new material by 2026 and says will continue development efforts.