Hemp-based Filament Now Used to Print in 3D

Hemp is one of the world's most versatile plants. Not only can it be used for marijuana, but also for a whole range of industrial products later employed in the textile, paper cosmetics and fuel industries. This is why some countries pay it special tribute and certain cannabis fairs celebrate its roots. Use of the plant, as could only be expected, is adapting to today's new times and technologies.

In recent months new applications and results have emerged: from bicycles made of hemp to cutting-edge glasses. The latest application is filament (a kind of ink) for 3D printers. 3dom, a US company, has recently launched its own hemp filament, which is now the third biggest product for the ecologically-based firm. Its current production is 100% biodegradable.

Called "Entwined," it is brown and can be used to print almost any figure. The ink has already been tested on different machines, such as the MakerBot, LulzBot and FlashForge, at temperatures ranging from 180 to 210° C. It does not need a heating plate and can be used without any problem at 45° C, tests show. The filament is already on the market, and a one-kilo package costs about 54 euros.

But it´s not the only model. A few months ago a group of young Sicilians initiated a project to manufacture a bioplastic filament made from hemp. These are materials science engineers who believe that hemp is highly sustainable, and have decided to combine it with other materials to create their final product. As explained, as a plant that grows anywhere and under all kinds of conditions, it consumes minimal resources, such that the material obtained from it can be very cost-effective.

According to its creators this filament can be used to print forms very similar to those achieved with wood or other materials, but at a much lower price, as the plant from which it is obtained is easier to produce. It also yields very natural results that give the sensation of being made from wood itself. Now the important thing is for those places that prohibit the growing of this plant, or place restrictions on it, to begin to view it in a new light.

3domusa.com photos.