Braskem and DiveDesign partner to develop a Custom 3D Printed K9 Quad Cart for Rescue Dog "Wobbly Hannah"

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Braskem (B3: BRKM3, BRKM5 and BRKM6; NYSE: BAK; LATIBEX: XBRK) ("Company"), the largest polyolefins producer in the Americas, as well as a market leader and pioneer producer of biopolymers on an industrial scale, and DiveDesign, an award-winning product design and marketing firm, partnered to develop a custom 3D printed K9 quad cart for rescue dog "Wobbly Hannah" (@wobblyhannahtotherescue). Hannah is affected by a neurological condition called cerebellar hypoplasia. This means her brain doesn't communicate well with her body in terms of movement, balance, and coordination. The results are delayed body movements requiring her to have an assistive device to move around.  Due to her size and body movements, most off the shelf cart solutions simply wouldn't work, they were not able to support Hannah properly, were too large or would tip over during use. Owner Cassidy, fed up with her limited options, reached out to DiveDesign to create a better solution.  "She's 65 lbs. and unable to stand on her own. We tried several custom carts that have all failed us, they have not been built to withstand the weight and force when she is trying to move.  We were starting to wonder if we were ever able going to be able to have something made for her that supports her like we needed it to," said Cassidy.

DiveDesign, was first contacted by Cassidy in April of 2021 to discuss potential opportunities. DiveDesign got to work conceptualizing and prototyping different designs utilizing state of the art scanning and virtual design software as well as Braskem's innovative carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene (PP) filament for 3D printing ("CF-PP") ("FL900PP-CF"). DiveDesign was able to develop and print a durable and lightweight quad cart for Hannah in less than four (4) months, all through virtual communications. Hannah's body is now properly supported, and she is fully empowered to live an active and healthier life, while independently enjoying the freedom to pursue activities with her family and other dogs.

Jason Vagnozzi, Braskem Commercial Director of Additive Manufacturing, stated, "When DiveDesign first shared the opportunity and we saw Hannah on Instagram, we instantly fell in love with her. We immediately knew having a lightweight durable material would be essential to the success of the project. Our carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene was the perfect solution for her quad cart. Hannah is an amazing dog, and we are so happy to be able to help her live a comfortable and happy life."

Alex Tholl, DiveDesign CEO, stated, "My partner Adam Hecht and I were very fortunate to have Jason from Braskem reach out to us. While our team's knowledge and experience in additive is extensive, finding a material that would be an excellent fit became challenging. Jason stepped in with Braskem's new CF-PP and gave us that confidence we needed to make this work for Hannah." To watch the full story of Hannah and the team's journey to build her carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene K9 quad cart visit https://youtu.be/ufzmJvadmv4.  

Award Winning Design
Braskem and DiveDesign recently won the award for Best Bespoke Solution in The Cool Parts Showcase awards for their work with Hannah. Much like the award-winning video series, The Cool Parts Show, the showcase highlights innovative, real-world solutions made through 3D printing. Submissions were open to anyone making parts with additive technology. "The response to the contest from participants, voters and event attendees was phenomenal," said Stephanie Hendrixson, co-host of The Cool Parts Show along with Peter Zelinski. "More than 2,500 fans voted to select our winning parts from among the twelve finalists. On behalf of The Cool Parts Show team, I'd like to extend our thanks to everyone who submitted parts and participated in the vote, and to congratulate the creators of our winning parts!"

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polypropylene
Braskem's carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene filament allows users to 3D print lightweight and exceptionally rigid parts for high-end applications, such as automotive, aerospace, nautical, sporting goods, and much more. Best of all FL00PP-CF is made using 100% recycled carbon fiber providing for a more sustainable product footprint while maintaining all the premium performance you would expect from virgin carbon fiber.

Braskem Polypropylene 3D Printing Filament Reinforced with Carbon Fiber ? Key Attributes:

• 100% recycled carbon fiber content
• High stiffness and strength - 6x stronger than traditional PP filaments
• Optimized for high resolution printing
• Lightweight / low density
• Excellent chemical resistance
• Low shrinkage / warpage
• Highly water resistant - does not absorb moisture, no drying needed

Braskem's carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene filament is designed to be used for both industrial as well as personal 3D printing applications making them a great choice for rapid prototyping, custom product design, lightweighting, optimizing geometries, and designing spare parts. Braskem's carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene filaments are available in both 1.75 mm and 2.85 mm diameters to fit a wide range of 3D printer applications and are available for online purchase. For more information about Braskem's additive manufacturing portfolio including filaments, powders for fused filament fabrication (FFF), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), and high-speed pellet extrusion, please visit https://www.braskem.com/usa/3d-printing.

ABOUT BRASKEM
With a global vision of the future oriented towards people and sustainability, Braskem is committed to contributing to the value chain for strengthening the Circular Economy. The petrochemical company's almost 8,000 team members dedicate themselves every day to improve people's lives through sustainable chemicals and plastics solutions. Braskem has an innovative DNA and a comprehensive portfolio of plastic resins and chemical products for diverse segments, such as food packaging, construction, manufacturing, automotive, agribusiness, healthcare, and hygiene, among others. With 41 industrial units in Brazil, the United States, Mexico and Germany, and net revenue of R$58.5 billion (US$11.4 billion), Braskem exports its products to clients in more than 80 countries.

Braskem America is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Braskem S.A. headquartered in Philadelphia. The company is the leading producer of polypropylene in the United States, with six production plants located in Texas, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, an Innovation and Technology Center in Pittsburgh, and operations in Boston focused on leveraging groundbreaking developments in biotechnology and advanced materials. For more information, visit www.braskem.com/usa.  

ABOUT DIVEDESIGN
DiveDesign is an award-winning industrial design agency enabling additive manufacturing technology companies to tell compelling stories by identifying market opportunities for new solutions. We are a small close-knit team of designers and engineers located in the small town of Boonton NJ, just outside of NYC. To learn more, visit www.divedesignco.com.

ABOUT THE COOL PARTS SHOW
The Cool Parts Show is a video series from Additive Manufacturing magazine. Hosted by editor-in-chief Peter Zelinski and senior editor Stephanie Hendrixson, each episode focuses on a cool 3D printed part to explore how it was made and what it reveals about the possibilities of additive manufacturing.

Braskem on English social media:  
www.facebook.com/BraskemGlobal   
www.linkedin.com/company/braskem  
www.twitter.com/BraskemSA 

SOURCE Braskem