3D printing with plastic pellets
Formnext 2025 – It was a pleasure seeing you.
This year at Formnext, we are focusing on our customers. Which materials are popular on the market? In which industries? What are the areas of application? Which are the respective advantages of each material? We want to use the components we have brought with us to answer these questions and provide inspiration—perhaps for your company too.
Further down this page, you will find more information about possible materials and advantages such as cost savings or outstanding mechanical properties. You are also welcome to book an appointment directly here (link to contact form) and receive a no-obligation consultation. So, enough of the preamble—enjoy browsing and thank you for visiting.
And yes, the rotating components are real and photographed. This is not an animation. Transparency is important to us.
BMW Motorrad – Triple clamp – PA6 GF30 HI
The component shown here is a sample of a 3D-printed triple clamp for BMW Motorrad. A triple clamp connects the fork legs securely to the frame and handlebars in order to transmit steering movements, guide the front wheel, and ensure the rigidity of the front suspension. We were able to create the first sample components for BMW Motorrad for initial fit checks on the motorcycle. We used PA6 GF30 HI to achieve the best possible fit.
In addition to its precise fit, the material also impresses with its attractive look and feel.
Robert Bosch GmbH – Fuel Cell – PPS GF40 – Chemical Resistant
As one of the world's largest automotive suppliers,
Bosch
has extensive expertise in the
automotive
sector. This component is part of a
fuel cell
and was manufactured using 3D printing from the
high-performance plastic PPS GF40.
The glass fiber-reinforced polymer material meets
the high requirements of modern fuel cell systems,
particularly in terms of
thermal stability, chemical resistance, and low ion
content.
An intelligent infill strategy and precise monitoring of
temperature and pressure result in components that not
only
withstand mechanical stresses such as operating and
vibration loads, but are also gas-tight.
The ability to process high-performance polymers such as PPS demonstrates the capabilities of the Bosch Pellet Printer and opens up new potential for customers from a wide range of industries—from the development of robust prototypes to the production of functional series components.
Österreichische Bundesbahnen ÖBB – Gasket seal – TPS Shore 50A – Flame retardant Railway
The component shown here is a membrane seal for Österreichische Bundesbahnen - Technische Service. It is integrated into the locks of gangway doors . Its primary function is to protect the internal mechanics from external environmental influences (such as water and dirt) . It was manufactured using the Bosch Pellet Printer with TPS Shore 50A. This makes the component particularly flexible and ensures that it meets the demanding requirements of the DIN EN45545-2 standard. The use of this original material also results in significant cost savings . In addition, the material retains its sealing effect over many years thanks to its high resilience .
Special material properties – outstanding components. Which material certification will give you a competitive advantage in the future?
WEIDPLAS GmbH – Air cap control system – PA6 GF30 HI
This particularly delicate component is an
air flap control system
(main frame and associated mounting components). It is a
central component of the
HVAC system.
It determines where the
air is directed in the vehicle
interior. The system must meet
high mechanical properties,
functional reliability,
and strict tolerances.
The system was printed from PA6 GF30 HI, the intended
series
production material.
Thanks to the pellet-based Bosch Pellet Printer, prototypes can be manufactured directly from the material that will later be used in series production, allowing functionality and material behavior to be tested under realistic conditions.
Robert Bosch GmbH – Vakuumgreifer – PA6 CF30 – ESD zertifiziert
The use of 3D printers is particularly advantageous in
special-purpose machine construction
, as prototypes can be produced
quickly, cost-effectively, and precisely —
ideal for flexible development and early testing of
customized solutions.
The Bosch Pellet Printer
produced these vacuum grippers made out of PA6 CF30 for
a division of Robert Bosch GmbH. The component impresses
with its excellent
ESD properties, high dimensional accuracy, and superb
surface finish
— properties that are essential for safety-critical and
precise handling tasks. Thanks to the Bosch Pellet
Printer, our colleagues in Hungary were able to
quickly and cost-effectively
manufacture components that meet the
high operational requirements.
The mechanical properties of our components are up to 300% better than those of conventional 3D printing processes. Testing was carried out in accordance with ISO-527.
ZIEHL ABEGG SE – Radial impeller – PA6 GF30
This image shows a radial impeller from ZIEHL ABEGG SE. In addition to its frequent use in air conditioning and ventilation technology, the radial impeller is also used in residential ventilation, roof fans, and indoor heat pumps. The focus for this component was on enabling high volume flows. The component was printed from polyamide 6. Even large components and complex geometries with overhangs can be produced with the Bosch Pellet Printer. This will enable ZIEHL ABEGG to manufacture various impellers and other components in the original material in the future, thus replicating near-series material properties as early as the sample phase or in small series.
This closes the circle, from sample to series part – all in one material.
Material diversity – We can process these pellets
The number of plastic pellets to choose from is huge. There are a few thousand just for injection molding. This pyramid shows the types we can already qualify.
But what does that really mean? We have a growing and already large selection of qualified pellets (like the PA, PPS, and TPE shown above). “Qualified” means that we – or our customers – are already printing components reliably with them. But we are not stopping there. We want to conquer the entire plastics pyramid and continue to grow — together with you. That's why we also show materials here that are not yet “qualified” but are “qualifiable.” This means that we see a very high chance to print your choosen plastic pellets from this area.
How do we do this? We offer our customers what we call “material qualifications.” We test your preferred pellets—from the green and orange types in this pyramid. If the validation is positive, we will then print an individual sample part in your preferred material so that you can see the quality for yourself. We recommend choosing an injection molding pellet that you already use in injection molding for series production. This will give you and your company an individual competitive advantage: from now on, you will be able to work with your preferred material for everything from prototyping and small series to series production and even spare parts. Sounds good, right? A clear win-win. You stay one step ahead of the market and we conquer the plastics pyramid and expand our range of already qualified materials.
Oh, and did we mention that thanks to our unique and material-friendly process, the certification of a certified plastic pellet (from flame retardant to ESD) is proven to remain intact in the printed component?
3D printing with Bosch. Our promise – your advantage
There are many reasons to buy a Bosch Pellet Printer. So many, in fact, that we don't have enough space on this page to list them all. The least we can do is share our favorite reasons.
Wide material variety – injection- molding pellets
Processing of flexible materials (e.g., TPE 50A) through to reinforced thermoplastics (e.g., PA6 GF30) and high-performance materials (e.g., PPS GF40).
Certified material – special part properties
Valuable material certifications are proven to remain intact in the part thanks to Bosch's material-friendly and award-winning process. From ESD-certified to flame-retardant.
High tensile and flexural strength
Mechanical properties up to 300% better than in conventional 3D-printing processes. Tested according to ISO-527 with PA6 GF30.
Proven and established original material for tests
Use one material from prototyping to series production to spare parts. Ideal for pre-production testing and functional prototypes.
Always available material - No material lock-in
Print with cost-effective original injection molding material without locking you into costly proprietary brands. You never have to worry about material availability.
Your material – your competitive advantage
Your material is still missing? Then qualify it together with us and work with one material from prototyping to small series to series production.
Clear price advantage, no material lock-in
We do not sell our own expensive “special” and 3D printing-optimized materials, but instead enable our customers to process proven and constantly available standard plastic pellets (such as injection molding pellets), which are often already used in their companies. In terms of price, these standardized injection molding pellets are significantly lower than the prices of our competitors.
But let's let the numbers speak for themselves. Here is a small price comparison of common 3D printing processes using the example of a standard material PA6 GF30:
2-component printing
Of course, you can also print 2K components with our technology. Use the additional filament extruder for this purpose and produce 2K components in no time at all.
Wow, you really scrolled all the way to the end!
Well, that must mean it's time to get to know our Bosch Pellet Printer in a personalized, no-obligation initial talk! Let's chat about possible use cases and competitive advantages for your company. We look forward to meeting you!