3D PRINTING | MATERIALS
When the going gets tough: 3DP compounds
Ongoing development of polymers for 3D printing has improved properties so they can be used in rugged parts. David Eldridge reports
Polymers for 3D printing have come a long way since the days when the parts they produced were only expected to be used a small number of times. Now the extension of 3D printing into the produc- tion realm (additive manufacturing) means that companies are designing compounds that satisfy engineering demands in terms of durability, temperature resistance, flame retardancy and more. Suppliers have been developing products that aim to work as well in additive manufacturing as they do in injection moulding. Growing demand for specialized industrial components and the adoption of flexible manufac- turing technologies are driving the growth of high mix, low volume (HMLV) production, according to 3D Systems. Injection moulding and other process- es are effective for high volume production, but face significant challenges when applied to HMLV manufacturing such as high costs and long lead times. The company developed the Figure 4 135 3D printer to meet these HMLV manufacturing needs. It has demonstrated the printer in combination with
www.compoundingworld.com
Figure 4 Tough 75C FR Black material as a cost- effective additive manufacturing solution for HMLV applications such as motorsports components, furniture hardware, and electrical connectors. With electrical connectors, which are typically a plastic application produced with injection mould- ing, additive manufacturing enables direct 3D- printed production-grade parts with high fidelity, high thermal stress resistance, and cost-efficiency at high volumes, said 3D Systems. As part of this particular solution, 3D Systems introduced Figure 4 Tough 75C FR Black, a tough, flame-retardant material which is recognized by UL with a UL94 V0 rating at thin wall thickness (0.4mm) and a Relative Thermal Index (RTI) for long-term electrical of 150°C and mechanical use of 130°C. “This makes it ideally suited for applications such as appliances, consumer electronics and automotive that require accuracy, heat resistance, durability, flexibility, and electrical safety,” said 3D Systems. Technology and materials group Stratasys has
Main image: Arkema exhibited Orgasol PA12 for powder bed fusion technologies at the Formnext event
May 2026 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 37
IMAGE: ARKEMA
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