The critical role of market-driven materials in additive manufacturing – Interview with 3D-Fuel CEO John Schneider

US-based company 3D-Fuel specialises in the development and manufacturing of high-quality 3D printing filaments. Founded in 2014, the manufacturer focuses on easy-to-print, yet functional materials for FDM printers. In an interview with 3Druck.com, CEO and founder John Schneider shares his insight into the 3D printing industry. 

3D-Fuel is a well-established manufacturer of filaments for desktop 3D printers. The company has recently returned to its independent roots. With a renewed focus on quality, reliability and customer support, 3D-Fuel is dedicated to meeting the evolving needs of the rapidly growing desktop 3D printing market.

The manufacturer specialises in FDM materials, offering a diverse range of products, including their popular Standard PLA+, Tough Pro PLA+, and Pro PCTG filaments, available in up to 40 vibrant colours. These materials are designed to be fully compatible with the latest generation of fast and reliable 3D printers from leading brands such as Bambu Lab, Creality3D, Prusa, and Elegoo.

3D-Fuel is committed to ensuring customer satisfaction, whether catering to hobbyists new to 3D printing or businesses running extensive print farms. The company actively seeks feedback to improve its offerings and maintains a strong connection with its customers through direct engagement and ongoing surveys.

Interview with John Schneider

In an interview with 3Druck.com, CEO and founder John Schneider discusses the importance of developing materials with clear market demand and highlights the shift towards localised manufacturing driven by recent global challenges. He also emphasises the need for consistency and reliability in materials to match advancements in 3D printing systems.

How do you see the development of new materials impacting the additive manufacturing industry?

New materials are only as good as their utilisation. If there is a material produced without a target use already identified, then it is simply a nifty, interesting material with limited commercial value. Our focus has been and will continue to be on materials that have good market demand. The time for development just for the sake of creating Intellectual Property (IP) value is long past. The AM industry has enough challenges – there needs to be a greater focus on solving problems with a solution rather than create a solution in search of a problem.

Additive manufacturing has developed continuously over the last few years. What innovations or technological breakthroughs in the field of materials do you think are the most important for the industry?

Consistency and ease-of-use in today’s more reliable, faster 3D printing systems. The improvement of desktop FDM systems, due in large part to the consumer-friendly focus of Bambu Lab, has lit a fire of innovation under the rest of the industry. These systems need materials just as reliable as they are. If materials are the weak link in this ecosystem, then it will not live up to its full potential.

First Corona and now high inflation are major challenges for the whole industry. How do you think the multiple crises will affect the additive manufacturing industry?

I think we’ll see a greater focus on localised manufacturing. Corona demonstrated the fragility of a globalised just-in-time supply chain. High inflation and interest rates mean that every purchase is under greater scrutiny and is only made if it’s filling a need, not a desire. The desktop AM industry is flourishing while industrial AM seems to be stagnating under the weight of administrative bloat. The industry needs to mature to focus on optimisation and cost reduction rather than research and development. I don’t think this is unique to AM – we’re seeing this across the board in tech, too.

What impact do you think additive manufacturing will have on different industries and possibly society as a whole in the coming years?

More localised manufacturing of end-use parts and products. We’re seeing this intensely with desktop AM. It’s a bit of a tool in the meme-economy. What I mean by that, is that AM can be responsive to rapidly changing, flighty consumer demand in a way that simply isn’t possible with globalised traditional manufacturing speeds. By the time an injection molding tool could be cut in China, the product trend could already be over. The AM industry is experiencing a reality check – it’s time that the lofty projections and blue sky come back down to solid ground so that this industry can survive and GROW in a sustainable way.

Here you can find further information on Fuel-3D.