One firm’s vision of the future

Abstract

In James Cameron’s 1991 sci-fi film Terminator 2, set in the year 2029, the T-1000, a human-robot hybrid made from liquid metal, is able to rebuild itself after being completely destroyed. The film wowed cinemagoers with the concept of growing a 3-D object from a pool of liquid. But such is the accelerating pace of innovation that science has overtaken fiction. “Already we can see that the 3-D printing approach shown in the film is simple and for some time has been a reality,” says Harald Schwager, Evonik Industries’ deputy chairman, who is responsible for chemicals and innovation. While in 1991, 3-D printing was merely a curiosity, today, printable materials such as nylon 12 are one of Evonik’s fastest-growing businesses. The chemical company counts all leading 3-D printer makers among its customers. Evonik is hungry for more success of this kind. To give itself a better chance of being involved