Diamant Polymer and SKZ launch AblImp project to develop post-process impregnation for durable ESD-safe SLS parts

Diamant Polymer and Germany's SKZ plastics institute began a joint research project on January 1, 2026, called AblImp (Ableitfahiges Impraegniermittel), to develop a post-processing impregnation that gives selective laser sintered (SLS) polymer parts a permanently electrostatic-dissipative surface. The team is developing impregnation formulations alongside a stable, reproducible impregnation process, studying how material, part geometry, and process parameters interact. Early-phase sample parts with deliberately varied porosity have already been produced to systematically test how much impregnant the part structure absorbs and how that affects surface conductivity. In parallel, the partners are adjusting the SLS process chain itself to support the coating step.

ESD-safe housings and fixtures are a recurring requirement in electronics manufacturing and handling equipment, and conventional approaches often rely on conductive filler compounds that lose effectiveness once parts see repeated mechanical wear. A post-processing impregnation route decouples ESD performance from the base powder formulation, potentially letting standard SLS materials serve applications that currently require specialty conductive grades. The project is still in an early characterization phase, with no disclosed timeline for commercial availability, so the practical takeaway for now is that this targets a durability gap in ESD-protective AM parts rather than introducing a new material class.