MATERIALS | 3D PRINTING
Right: Evonik has developed high-tempera- ture PA 6
powders for 3D printing
technologies such as SLS. Heat deflection temperature (HDT B) is around 195°C
on X400 and X500 3D printers from DuPont’s partner, GermanRepRap. Also aiming at high temperature applications with polyamides for AM is Evonik. It has developed a new polymer powder for applications in higher temperature range as part of its PA6 series. It has a heat deflection temperature (HDT B) of around 195°C. Moreover, the powder material stands out for its low water absorption – below 3% – which has a positive effect on processability in 3D printing and the dimensional stability of printed 3D components. Evonik launched the new PA6 in collaboration with Chinese Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) technology company TPM3D (Shanghai). Mark Zhao, founder and CEO of TPM 3D says he sees strong demand for 3D solutions in the higher temperature range, notably in the automotive and electronics industries. Filament producer Taulman has developed an unfilled polyamide-based product that it claims can compete with materials like polyetherimide (PEI) and PEEK. “PEI type materials are great for high temperature usage, but tend to be very expensive,” says a company representative. “We have evalu- ated the end usage of PEI type materials and see that the primary requirements can be divided between two needs: temperature capability and strength. While temperature capability is excellent in these materials, it also carries the need for a 3D printer to handle the high temperature. For strength, however, we believe a material in the range of 13,000 to 15,000 psi tensile [approx 90-100 MPa] with reasonable elongation can meet the needs of industry without the added cost of an expensive 3D printer. Of course using fillers like carbon fibre and glass fibre can increase the tensile of most materials. However, there is considerable wear on the nozzle.” Taulman says its existing PA-based filaments are drawn rather than extruded to give them particu-
Automotive oil pump printed with SABIC’s Ultem AM9085F filament and new AMS31F support filament. The support filament’s white colour provides a sharp contrast to the amber colour of the Ultem, which allows operators to more quickly identify the structures to be removed
larly good mechanical properties. But in the last few months, it has been testing what it calls a new unfilled “cast plate nylon” specifically for FFF. At press time, no details were available on what exactly this means, but the company says it prints at 300°C, and has tensile strength of 13,000 psi and elongation at break of 14%.
Very high end There is lots going on at the moment in top-end thermoplastics for AM. SABIC, for example, recently introduced AMS31F filament, a breakaway support material for use with its Ultem PEI filament in FDM. SABIC says the new filament not only maintains rigidity during printing but also provides exceptional pliability during post processing to enable easier removal of scaffolding at room temperature. Other support materials often require reheating to facilitate removal. “Using structural supports to print parts with
complex geometries is essential, but it can also be quite challenging,” says Keith Cox, SABIC’s Senior Business Manager, Additive Manufacturing. “Removing traditional supports from the finished part often involves time-consuming processes that can negatively impact productivity and quality.”
Pump after support filament is removed
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INJECTION WORLD | June 2019
www.injectionworld.com
PHOTO: SABIC
PHOTO: EVONIK
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