# 3D Printing > 3D Printing News, Interviews & Editorials Supplied by 3DPrint.com >  WACKER CHEMIE Develops method of 3D Printing real silicone

## Eddie

Chemical manufacturing company WACKER CHEMIE announced in their Q2 report that they have developed a method of 3D printing with silicone. The process uses a custom designed printing program that applies very small dots of a special silicone material to a glass printing bed. The layer of silicone i then vulcanized using a UV light that cross links the silicone molecules into an elastomeric material. You can find out more about the process over on 3DPrint.com.

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## GavinR

This is just what Ive been looking for. Can I find our more about the printing machines & materials?

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## Jefams

> Chemical manufacturing company WACKER CHEMIE announced in their Q2 report that they have developed a method of 3D printing with silicone. The process uses a custom designed printing program that applies very small dots of a special silicone material to a glass printing bed. The layer of silicone i then vulcanized using a UV light that cross links the silicone molecules into an elastomeric material. You can find out more about the process over on 3DPrint.com.


Dear Wacker Chemie,

i would like to know if silicon printed elements can be used with food. I would like to prints some moulds and fill it with sugar or eatable elements.

what is maximum heat it can have and is the silicon also Fda prove. http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/

thank you,

jefams

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## uris80

Hi, I need as soon as possible more information about this, perhaps if the machine (and filament) are available on the market yet? or if is any service suppliers in Europe or USA for the silicone printing process.
Thanks!

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## Geoff

They will keep this one under wraps I think, otherwise you know who will be cloning it and selling it before they do.

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## Feign

Well this is great and all, but we've been doing exactly this for over a year now at Hyrel.

I welcome them to the market of UV-Crosslinked silicone printing, but if they claim they _invented_ the process, I might have to take issue with that.

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## curious aardvark

yea - patent fight !

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## silicone guy

Any progress? How's it going? Hyrel website lists Silicone as "coming soon".

\http://www.hyrel3d.com/materials/




> Well this is great and all, but we've been doing exactly this for over a year now at Hyrel.
> 
> I welcome them to the market of UV-Crosslinked silicone printing, but if they claim they _invented_ the process, I might have to take issue with that.

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## Davo

We've been printing with silicone for years now.

The "spec sheet" for silicone isn't done, because that guy isn't here anymore. 

See:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmw0LS_f9V0

and:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej55bZXrltA

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## ralphzoontjens

Davo,

Can the Hyrel Engine printers also fit two extruders simultaneously for multimaterial prints, or is that restricted to the larger models?
We are developing a multimaterial product in silicone+plastic and are interested in 3D printing it.

-Ralph

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## Davo

Ralph, 

Each Hyrel machine can have up to four (more for the larger models) heads loaded simultaneously.

Yes, we do combined material prints. You will have to design your STL files so that the materials work together. For example, you can easily print PEEK onto ABS, but ABS does not print well onto PEEK.

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