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3D Printing News Briefs, August 5, 2020: Titan Robotics & Braskem, 3DPRINTUK

Today’s 3D Printing News Briefs is about materials and a 3D printed version of a real building. Titan Robotics and Braskem are partnering up to offer new solutions in 3D printed polypropylene, while 3DPRINTUK is expanding its materials and post-processing capabilities. Finally, the Coit Tower House in San Francisco now has a 3D printed miniature replica.

Titan Robotics & Braskem Announce Partnership

Braskem Polypropylene pellets for 3D printing

Production AM solutions provider Titan Robotics and petrochemical company Braskem have announced their strategic partnership, which has resulted in the launch of a new polypropylene (PP) resin that’s been optimized for 3D printing large-format production parts. The two companies spent over a year researching and developing the new material, which is the first commercially available grade of unfilled PP engineered specifically for 3D printing on Titan’s industrial Atlas 3D printers with pellet extrusion. The features of PP include chemical resistance, dimensional stability, impact strength, low density, recyclability, and thanks to this new partnership, Titan and Braskem will be able to offer improved industrial AM solutions.

“3D printing large parts using polypropylene resin has been a challenge for many years,” stated Rahul Kasat, Titan Robotics’ Chief Commercial Officer. “In collaboration with Braskem, a global leader in the polypropylene market, we have now solved that challenge. Our industrial customers will be able to print functional parts with this first of its kind polypropylene grade. We are also excited to continue to develop new polypropylene based solutions for our customers in collaboration with Braskem.”

Titan is also an authorized distributor of Braskem’s 3D printing pellet products.

3DPRINTUK Expanding Materials & Post-Processing

PEBA Dyed Close Up

SLS low volume production specialist 3DPRINTUK is branching out with its introduction of the flexible PrimePart 2301, a polyether block amide (PEBA) material with good chemical and water resistance, rubber-like characteristics not dissimilar to TPU, excellent detail resolution, and a higher melting point than most other resin-based elastomers. The material would be a good fit for batch production runs and rugged end-use applications, including handles, sports equipment, air ducts, and gaskets. Additionally, the company has invested in DyeMansion’s PowerShot S system, which uses a proprietary PolyShot Surfacing (PSS) process that allows 3DPRINTUK to offer a shot peening post-processing service that can improve the surface finish of 3D printed parts.

“At 3DPRINT UK we have honed and optimized the SLS 3D printing process over many years to achieve the best possible results off our machines for a wide range of relevant applications, that continue to grow in scope. However, the post processing of parts — from cleaning through to further optimised surface finishes — has always been a necessity for many of our clients. Expanding our post processing capabilities is a vital part of the business, and the DyeMansion PowerShot S system is an important next step in our expansion, enabling us to offer our many and varied clients the benefits of shot peened 3D printed parts from a single source,” said Nick Allen, the CEO and Founder of 3DPRINTUK.

3D Printed Coit Tower House

The 210′ tall Coit Tower was built in the early 1930s in San Francisco’s Telegraph Hill neighborhood as a way to beautify the city. The art deco tower, a recognizable sight on the city’s skyline, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in early 2008, and 12 years later, Yuriy Sklyar, the founder, CEO, and head of design & marketing at design studio Threefifty, has 3D printed a replica tower that stands over 7′ tall…a 1/20 scale. Utilizing a Creality CR10S5, a Replicator 2, and a MakerBot system, Sklyar, who has been utilizing 3D printing since 2013, called this unique project a “great opportunity to leave a lasting mark on the best city in the world – and its art community.” It took a month to create the base of the tower, as he had to redo a lot of it, eventually installing a heated silicone bed and heat enclosure to reduce the amount of warping. The next month was spent printing “the 4 giant sections of the fluted tower design.”

“Each one of these four sections, just like the real tower, consists of 4 sub-sections – I wanted to be very accurate with such details. At first these were limited in height by the 3rd party 3D printer, so only 2 sub-sections were supposed to be printed at a time, and then joined together with metal plates and nuts/bolts, but since I was now working on my own terms, I decided to reduce the amount of work for myself, and at the same time reduce the number of bolts/nuts/plates to just 4 sets, instead of 8,” Sklyar wrote.

“Each one of these sections takes about 3.5-4 days to print using a single 1.1mm shell @ 10% infill, which created for a surprisingly strong structure, since I instructed the infil to have a 45% overlap with inner and outer walls.”

You can check out his post for the very specific details of the project, but I’ll leave you with just a few – including all of the hardware used, the 3D printed Coit Tower weighs a total of 24 kg, and took over 7.5 km of ColorFabb’s nGen filament, SUNLU PETG and Gizmo Dorks PETG filament to print. Sklyar designed the whole thing from scratch, and the columns are joined by steel plates secured by bolts and in-printed nuts.

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AM POLYMERS GmbH: New Polypropylene ROLASERIT PP03O for Laser Sintering with 200 % Elongation at Break and Other New Materials

AM POLYMERS GmbH expands its powder portfolio for laser sintering with a new polypropylene powder. In contrast to most of the materials on the market, the material has exceptionally high elongation at break of more than 200 %. At the same time, the material has excellent processing conditions on common machine systems.

AM POLYMERS GmbH presents its fourth series material from the ROLASERIT® family at FORMNEXT 2019 in Frankfurt and starts the BETA phase for the newly developed ROLASERIT® PP03O. This extends the material range for laser sintering to include a material with outstanding ductility and injection moulding properties. For the first time, a lower elongation at break has not to be accepted, as is generally the case in additive manufacturing.

With an elongation at break of more than 200 %, the material is a pioneering role in the field of materials for laser sintering. Most materials only have elongations at break in the range of less than 50 %. The processing of the material has already been tested successfully and without problems on common laser sintering systems. In accordance with the company philosophy of selling only plug-and-play materials, only short running-in times on the machines are necessary. Thus, the production of customer parts is possible within a few days. The application spectrum of manufactured components is diverse and ranges from simple housings to function-integrated parts with film hinges. Based on its high ductility, the ROLASERIT® PP03O is also ideally suited for series production.

Visit us at FORMNEXT 2019 booth 11.1 A79 to learn more about ROLASERIT® PP03O.

In addition to polypropylene PP01, polyethylene PEGR01 and TPU PB01, PP03O now forms the fourth thermoplastic powder available as series material, which AM POLYMERS has developed for laser sintering or for powder bed fusion and sells under the brand name ROLASERIT®.

AM POLYMERS GmbH will also be presenting other powder materials at FORMNEXT 2019. The newly developed ROLASERIT® PP04 is designed to offer a polypropylene with increased stiffness and strength requirements compared to PP01 and PP03. The ROLASERIT® PA FLEX01 is intended for applications with a requirement profile with low stiffness and simultaneously high ductility in laser sintering. The polyamide material has been specifically optimized for this special application.

AM POLYMERS GmbH with a headquarters in Willich was founded in 2014. The company is specialized in the development, production and distribution of laser sintering materials. The company’s team can look back on many years of experience in the field of additive manufacturing. The founders, Dr.-Ing. Andreas Wegner and Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Gerd Witt have twelve and more than twenty years of experience in laser sintering of plastics. Timur Ünlü, a specialist of many years experience in the field of powder production, joined the company in 2018. Since 2019 a new production and development site for the production of plastic powders has been established in Willich.
In addition to the commercialized products, other important standard thermoplastics such as PA6 or PBT are developed for laser sintering. The current state of development already shows promising properties of these future products.

Contact:
AM POLYMERS GmbH
Dr.-Ing. Andreas Wegner
Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Straße 9e
47877 Duisburg
Germany
tel.: +49 174 2174251
email: info@am-polymers.de
web: https://www.am-polymers.de

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3D Printing News Briefs: October 14, 2019

In today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, everything is new, new, new! Carbon is announcing a new RPU 130 material, and STERNE Elastomere introduces its antimicrobial silicone 3D printing. Protolabs launches a new polypropylene 3D printing service in Europe, and Hydra Research has officially released its flagship Nautilus 3D printer.

Carbon Introduces RPU 130 Material

At this week’s International K Trade Fair in Dusseldorf, Carbon will debut its new RPU 130 resin, a rigid polyurethane that’s rigid, tough, impact resistant, and stands up under high temperatures, making it a perfect choice for the automotive industry in applications such as brake caliper covers. Made exclusively for Carbon’s Digital Light Synthesis, the dual-cure engineering resin is comparable to unfilled thermoplastics, and Carbon also partnered with DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products to make RPU 130 out of sustainable Susterra propanediol, a 100% bio-based material that uses 46% less nonrenewable energy from cradle-to-gate and produces 48% less greenhouse gas emissions as well.

“We are focused on ways to incorporate more sustainable approaches to developing materials, and our partnership with DuPont Tate & Lyle emphasizes that commitment,” stated Jason Rolland, SVP of Materials at Carbon. “We believe that sustainability can go hand-in-hand with improved performance. In the case of RPU 130, we believe it will make the material even more appealing for our customers, as it makes it possible to create better quality products that are also ultimately better for the environment.”

You can learn more about Carbon’s new RPU 130 at its K-Show booth, H7.2, F12 from October 16-23.

Antimicrobial Silicone 3D Printing by STERNE

French silicone 3D printing specialist STERNE will also be attending K 2019 this month. Three years ago, the company unveiled its silicone 3D printer at K 2016, and its SiO-shaping 3D silicone printing technology makes it possible to fabricate very small pieces, according to standard ISO 3302-01 :2014 (M2) tolerances, at hardness from 30 to 60 Shores A. The printer also offers a full panel of colors in opaque, phosphorescent, and translucent.

The company is now combining 3D printing with antimicrobial silicone, in order to keep the silicone odor-free, avoid bacteria developing, improve the hygiene of a 3D printed object, and strengthen its immune barrier as well. You can learn more about this antimicrobial silicone 3D printing at STERNE’s Stand E23, Hall 8A, at K 2019.

Protolabs Offering Polypropylene 3D Printing in Europe

For the first time, digital manufacturing company Protolabs is offering polypropylene 3D printing, with the launch of a new service in Europe. The company has invested a lot in developing the material to be used with selective laser sintering (SLS) technology, on an SPro 60 system. SLS 3D printing with polypropylene plastic allows design engineers to rapidly develop and test prototypes, and fabricate complex designs as well, like internal channels and honeycomb structures.

“Polypropylene is one of the most used plastics available to modern manufacturers and is widely used for a number of applications. Polypropylene is one of the most used plastics available to modern manufacturers and is widely used for a number of applications. Now that we can produce a prototype in polypropylene, design engineers can develop and test it in an application using the same material that it will be manufactured from. The product design can then be quickly reiterated and retested until they have the perfect solution, before committing to tooling. This breakthrough takes product development to the next level using the most versatile of plastics, ” said Andrea Landoni, 3D printing product manager for Protolabs.

“Before, if you wanted to use polypropylene then you were limited in what you could design by the manufacturing technology available to you. Now the only limitation is your imagination.”

Hydra Research Releases Flagship 3D Printer

Oregon company Hydra Research, which began in a closet three years ago as a peer-to-peer print service, has announced the release of it flagship 3D printer, the Nautilus. The fully enclosed, industrial-grade desktop system – assembled in Portland – features a quick-change Tool Cartridge system that integrates E3D’s V6 hotend for fast nozzle switching, in addition to an integrated software solution. It also supports a variety of materials, provides Cura profiles for easy slicing, has a small footprint in a sleek frame, and offers customizable HydraCare support and consulting packages

“As a company, our primary goal is producing world-class hardware on an open source platform,” explained John Kray, the Founder and CEO of Hydra Research. “Manufacturers like E3D, Duet3D, and Fillamentum combine these values perfectly.”

You can now purchase Hydra’s Nautilus 3D printer on the company’s website, in addition to spare parts, accessories, and filament.

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Protolabs expands 3D printing services with polypropylene SLS

On-demand digital manufacturing provider Protolabs has launched a new polypropylene (PP) 3D printing service for its customers in Europe. A company first, the Telford-based Northern European branch of Protolabs has invested significantly in development of the material for SLS 3D printing. “Until recently you could only use 3D printed polypropylene-like materials that mimicked this plastic, but […]

Testing the Properties of Fiber-Reinforced Geopolymer 3D Printing Material

In a paper entitled “Effect of Polypropylene Fibre Addition on Properties of Geopolymers Made by 3D Printing for Digital Construction,” a group of researchers investigates the effect of polypropylene (PP) fibers on the fresh and hardened properties of 3D printed fiber-reinforced geopolymer mortars. One of the main limitations of extrusion-based concrete 3D printing techniques, the researchers point out, is the difficulty of incorporating conventional steel reinforcement.

“As a possible solution, conventional steel bars might be partly or completely substituted by short-fibre reinforcement, thus minimizing or rendering unnecessary requirements for steel reinforcement with regard to mastering issues of cracking due to shrinkage or temperature changes and, in some cases, achieving particular load-bearing capacity and deformability,” they state.

Another limitation is the limited range of printable concretes, they continue. Conventional OPC concrete is not suitable because of its setting characteristics, as well as its high energy consumption and emissions. An alternative is geopolymer, which can be made by alkaline activation of fly ash and slag. There has not been a great deal of research done to optimize the mixture proportions of 3D printable geopolymers, so the researchers dedicated their work to developing an optimized geopolymer for 3D printing.

To produce a geopolymer mortar, the researchers used fly ash, micron-scale silica sand, an alkaline solution composed of sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide solutions, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) powder. They tested mixtures with different proportions of each ingredient before settling on one that was both extrudable and buildable. Different percentages of PP fiber were then added to the optimized mixture, in volumes ranging from .025% to 1.00%. They tested the mortar by 3D printing it with a custom-made testing device. The printed specimens were then heat treated.

The shape retention ability test setup

Rheological behavior of the mixtures was tested, as were the mechanical properties of the hardened mortar. Tests were also run for apparent porosity and interlayer bond strength.

“Fibre addition seems to influence compressive strengths positively only when the loading is perpendicular to the interface plane,” the researchers state. “This is due to the preferential fibre alignment parallel to the direction of extrusion. The addition of fibre significantly enhanced the flexural performance of the printed samples. The use of fibre dosages of 0.75 and 1.00 vol % caused deflection-hardening behaviour of the 3D-printed geopolymers and, hence, a significantly higher fracture energy in comparison to specimens without fibre or with lower fibre content.”

An increase in fiber volume did cause some minor reduction in interlayer bond strength. Higher fiber volumes, however, caused better shape retention ability in the printed samples, as well as ductility. A strong correlation between porosity and compression strength was found in the 3D printed material, similar to that of cast concrete.

The interlayer bond strength test

“The results indicate the possibility of printing fibre-reinforced geopolymers which meet all the necessary properties in both the fresh and hardened states,” the researchers conclude.

Authors of the paper include Behzad Nematollahi, Praful Vijay, Jay Sanjayan, Ali Nazari, Ming Xia, Venkatest Naidu Nerella and Viktor Mechtcherine.

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3D Printing News Briefs: November 13, 2018

We should really call today’s 3D Printing News Briefs the formnext 2018 Briefs, as announcements from the show are numerous this week. EnvisionTEC, XYZprinting, BASF, and DSM all introduced new 3D printing materials at the event in Frankfurt today, and in the only news not related to formnext, Imerys Ceramics has announced a new range of ceramic feedstocks.

EnvisionTEC Debuting First 4K 3D Printing System

At formnext, 3D printer manufacturer EnvisionTEC debuted the industry’s first DLP-based 3D printer that uses a true 4K projector with UV optics tuned to the 385 nm wavelength. Available in three production-ready variations, with a gray body and a 2560 x 1600 pixel projector resolution, the Perfactory P4K 3D printer delivers highly accurate parts with an ultra-smooth surface finish. Additionally, the Perfactory P4K, has access to the rest of the Perfactory line’s versatile materials portfolio for production capacity.

“The P4K is the highest resolution advanced DLP printer with the largest build envelope and deploys artificial intelligence in pixel modulation to deliver the highest accuracy parts with the smoothest available surface finish in the 3D printing space. This will deliver the next level of production-grade 3D printing solutions,” said Al Siblani, the CEO of EnvisionTEC.

The new Perfactory P4K will be on display at formnext all week.

XYZprinting Introducing New 3D Printing Materials

Another company introducing new materials at formnext this week is desktop 3D printing brand XYZprinting. In order to expand the capabilities of both domestic and professional grade 3D printers, the company is launching a new antibacterial PLA material, along with copper metallic PLA and Carbon PLA materials. The first of these can destroy up to 99% of bacteria, including E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and comes in four colors: white, red, yellow and neon green.

The copper metallic PLA, made of 65% copper powder, is a good alternative for hobbyists when it comes to sculpting metal for ornamental models. The material is being launched in conjunction with XYZprinting’s new nozzle, made of carbon hardened steel. Finally, the new Carbon PLA, which is also compatible with this new nozzle, is made of 10% carbon fiber, and its matte finish is ideal for showing off fine details. You can learn more about these new materials at XYZprinting’s booth D10 in Hall 3.1, where it will also be exhibiting its latest 3D printer, the da Vinci Color AiO, with a 3D scanner and optional laser engraver.

BASF 3D Printing Solutions Presents New Products at formnext

Germany-based BASF 3D Printing Solutions GmbH (B3DPS), a 100% subsidiary of BASF New Business GmbH, is also at formnext this week, to introduce several new materials for photopolymer and laser sintering methods, in addition to announcing some new partnerships and alliances. First, B3DPS is introducing flame-resistant Ultrasint Polyamide PA6 Black FR, Ultrasint PA6 Black LM X085, which is suitable for most current SLS 3D printers, and Ultrasint PP, a polypropylene with great plasticity, low moisture uptake, and resistance to liquids and gases. Additionally, B3DPS has also grouped its photopolymer materials under the new Ultracur3D brand name.

András Marton, Senior Business Development Manager at B3DPS, said, “Our Ultracur3D portfolio enables us to offer customers various UV-curable materials for 3D printing that provide far better mechanical properties and higher long-term stability than most available materials.

“These materials have been developed for functional components that are subject to high stress.”

The subsidiary also announced that it’s partnering with California company Origin and 3D printer manufacturer Photocentric to develop photopolymers and photopolymer 3D printing processes, and working with Chinese 3D printer manufacturer Xunshi Technology, which operates in the US under the name SprintRay, to open up new applications for the Ultracur3D range. Additionally, B3DPS subsidiary Innofil3D is partnering with Jet-Mate Technology in China and US-based M. Holland to distribute plastic filaments. Visit B3DPS at formnext this week at booth F20 in Hall 3.1.

DSM Announces 3D Printing Product Launches

Vent cover used for PIV windtunnel testing, printed in Somos PerFORM Reflect

In today’s final formnext news, science-based company DSM has unveiled two new high-performance materials for 3D printing structural parts. Somos PerFORM Reflect is a groundbreaking new stereolithography material for wind tunnel testing with PIV (Particle Imaging Velocimetry), and saves more than 30% post treatment cost by eliminating the need to apply PIV coatings to printed parts. In addition to helping customers conduct iterations and collect data more quickly, the resin could actually help break speed records for wind tunnel testing.

“Speed is crucial, whether in automotive, aerospace or other transportation design. Eliminating the need to apply PIV coatings is a major breakthrough for customers who are using PIV wind tunnel testing. It allows them to speed up their aerodynamic design optimizations. We are thrilled that our strategy of focusing on helping customers create their applications have enabled us to deliver such tremendous value. Overnight, Somos® PerFORM Reflect will not just set new speed records but new industry standards,” said Hugo da Silva, Vice President of Additive Manufacturing at DSM.

The company’s second new material is the thermoplastic copolyester (TPC) Arnitel ID2060 HT, which is perfect for the FDM 3D printing of structural parts for automotive applications. The material features a balance of prolonged high temperature resistance, flexibility, and chemical resistance against exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) condensate.

Imerys Ceramics Introduces EZ Print 3D Range of Ceramic Feedstocks

As part of the Imerys group, Imerys Ceramics designs, produces, and markets high-performance mineral solutions for the ceramic industries, and is making ceramic 3D printing easy with its new, unique range of ceramic materials called EZ Print 3D.

EZ Print 3D is available as a plug & play cartridge, so users can enjoy efficiency and ease of use when it comes to 3D printing. The materials are also available as a “ready to fill” ceramic feedstock, and have been tested on several 3D printers currently on the market. EZ Print 3D has a low firing temperature of 1220°C that’s compatible with most kiln temperature limits, and the genuine low porosity (<0,5%) of a porcelain. The technology is perfect for tableware and giftware applications, and the company plans to expand EZ Print 3D accordingly as 3D printing adoption grows. Imerys Ceramics also provides technical support and a dedicated team that’s competent in 3D printing to help customers.

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Roboze to Debut Xtreme 3D Printer Series and New High Performance 3D Printing Materials at formnext

Roboze, a leader in functional 3D printed prototypes produced in industrial materials like PEEK, CarbonPA, and ULTEM AM9085F, manufactures 3D printers that can handle high-performance, high temperature polymers, such as SABIC’s LEXAN EXL AMHI240F. Now, the company is getting extreme with FFF 3D printing, with an announcement about the new desktop production 3D printing series it will debut at next week’s formnext in Frankfurt.

“The new Xtreme solutions, is the result of intense work by the entire Roboze team, that has allowed us today to create a new line of systems capable of meeting the most extreme needs of our customers, offering greater versatility in the materials and accuracy of the prints as well as better performance,” said Alessio Lorusso, CEO & Founder of Roboze. “We have rewritten the history of 3D printing and the Formnext 2018 represents the best showcase to tell the story.”

The new Xtreme 3D printer series, made up of the Roboze One Xtreme and Roboze One + 400 Xtreme, will strengthen the company’s PEEK and CARBON PEEK solutions for FFF 3D printing, bringing users closer to true additive production.

Roboze has become a major manufacturing player thanks to its innovative technology, like the Beltless System that allows operators from around the world to 3D print both finished parts and prototypes with 25-micron mechanical tolerances, which all but guarantees repeatability and, as the company puts it, “immediate economic advantages.”

But this new Xtreme series launch is an even bigger deal for the company, as it sets up a point of contact between the production ARGO 500 3D printer and its desktop One and One + 400 systems.

Rocco Maggialetti, head of the mechanical design of Roboze, explained, “The strong collaboration between all the members of Roboze’s R & D team has allowed us to design this new system that improves the previous one, guaranteeing longer useful life of the machine.”

The newly designed covers for the Xtreme 3D printers are made of sheet metal, and designed to lower maintenance on the machines while also improving their robustness. In addition to providing a more elegant aesthetic, this new feature also makes the Roboze Xtreme series extremely quiet.

The Roboze One Xtreme and Roboze One + 400 Xtreme 3D printers were built by Roboze engineers who changed up the status quo in order to offer extremely versatile and accurate 3D printing solutions. The series feature a new, advanced sensor system, which includes an endstop aimed at leveling the semi-automatic plan, WiFi and USB connections, motor encoders for closed loop control that monitor the printing process, and optical endstop/touchless, which promises less maintenance because it decreases typical issues.

The Beltless System on this new 3D printer series has also evolved from the original, and features racks machined with chemical nickel plating. This lowers the contact friction between the rack and pinion for faster print speed, and also increases the resistance to wear and corrosion.

The Xtreme series also includes a Cabinet Support System (SSC), which is meant for unloading machine vibrations and controlling material temperatures, as well as storing coils so they’re not exposed to atmospheric agents. Just like with the ARGO 500 and the Roboze One + 400, these new 3D printers also house a Vacuum Box for vacuum generation, which provides greater first-layer flatness and print surface adhesion for faster 3D printing.

Roboze 3D printers are certainly impressive, thanks in large part to the versatility of materials they can handle. Many of these were developed specifically to add enhancements to parts with properties not dissimilar from metals. In addition to its Xtreme desktop production 3D printer series, Roboze is also introducing several new materials at formnext 2018.

Carbon PP is the first, and is good for use in automotive applications, because it promises the same high performance of PP (polypropylene), combined with the advantages of carbon fiber.

“Carbon PP’s carbon fiber provides a 25% resistance increase level compared to PP. The addition of specially selected carbon fibers improves the mechanical properties of the material and increases its HDT maintaining its properties even at a higher temperature than that of PEEK,” said Maria Luisa Geramo , PhD, Head of Applications – Roboze R&D Material Engineer.

According to Roboze, its new PP has excellent electrical insulating properties and high resistance against abrasion, chemical agents, and shock, and “represents the most commodities polymer primarily used in applications for objects of common use and automotive components,” while its new Glass PA – a polyamide loaded with glass spheres – is a good electrical insulator, and ensures high dimensional stability because it has lower moisture absorption and increased mechanical properties when compared to standard polyamide.

Carbon PEEK, which has excellent mechanical properties and thermal stability, is already used with the company’s ARGO 500 production 3D printer, and is the only new material that’s available for use solely on the Roboze One + 400 Xtreme.

Come see all of Roboze’s new 3D printing materials and solutions at next week’s formnext – visit the company at booth C78 in Hall 3.1.

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Apium releases low-temperature high-resistance FFF 3D printable PP

Parts made with Apium’s new 3D printing material, polypropylene. Image via Apium

Apium Additive Technologies, a German 3D printer and materials manufacturer, has released a new material for FFF/FDM 3D printers. The latest release is suitable for Apium’s P Series printers and adds to the range of 3D printing materials Apium offers, including PEEK, carbon fiber, and POM-C. Second most common plastic Polypropylene (PP) is a low-temperature thermoplastic (130°C-171°C), […]

Technical Possibilities for Making 3D Printed Engineering Components Based on Reused Polypropylene

Tested specimens for the three print directions.

From bacteria and metamaterials to shape-shifting and support-free, the innovative researchers at TU Delft have worked with a wide variety of 3D printing materials over the years. Now, their focus is shifting to polypropylene, a thermoplastic polymer used in a variety of applications, though engineering is not typically among these.

TU Delft researchers Fred Veer, Foteini Setaki, and Ton Riemslag, together with P. Sakkas from The New Raw, have published a new paper, titled “The strength and ductility of glass fibre reinforced 3D-printed polypropylene,” that discusses the technical possibilities for making 3D printed engineering components based on reused polypropylene.

The abstract reads, “The possibility of using a mix of recycled polypropylene (PP) with new glass fibre reinforced polypropylene as a materials source for 3D printed engineering components is investigated. The strength and elongation to fracture are determined for various grades of material and in relation to the print direction. The measured values are compared with literature values for these materials in an as new condition. It is shown that the use of recycled PP degrades the material properties. PP recycled from house hold waste has significantly worse properties than PP recycled from industrial waste.”

Test setup: Zwick z10 universal testing machine with Test Expert 4.12 software.

A lot of primary material is used to create disposable molds out of virgin plastic for construction purposes, which is not great news from an environmental standpoint. It’s far more practical to use recycled plastics as raw materials, and research has been conducted in the past regarding the use of recycled high density polyethylene. But PP has better mechanical properties, and has the correct thermal properties for 3D printing.

Unfortunately, recycled PP is far less strong than unused PP. In order to achieve the desired properties, recycled PP is often mixed with the virgin material and fibers.

“For this research different mixtures of recycled, re-recycled and virgin polypropylene with short glass fibres were tested to look at the various factors influencing the overall properties,” the team wrote. “This research focussed on the failure strength and strain of the material as these are good indicators for materials performance and are also suitable to compare the different mixtures.”

The researchers blended mixtures of recycled, re-recycled and virgin PP with short glass fibers, then inserted the material into a heated extruder with four chambers to be 3D printed into sheets. The sheets were then laser cut into dog bone-shaped specimens and tested using a Zwick z10 universal testing machine.

“For mixtures 1 and 2 the properties were determined in the print direction, 0°, at 45° to the print direction and at 90° to the print direction,” the researchers explained. “Mixtures 3, 4 and 5 were only tested in the 0° direction in order to allow comparison between the mixtures.”

The results show clearly that the predictability of the strength of a material mixture was degraded by the use of recycling, unfortunately. In addition, it’s implied that the print direction has to be taken into account in any design, and that the structure must be modeled using direction dependent properties. Because we’re dealing with composite materials, the researchers explained that “the engineering effort will be much greater than with conventional materials.”

Test specimen; dimensions are in mm.

Another important factor to take into account is the quality of the recycled material: the average of mixture 1’s strength was only about 85% of the average strength of the virgin 10% glass fiber-filled PP homo polymer. There’s also a major decrease in properties – a 35% loss of strength – when a print was recycled. Properties were also significantly degraded when household waste was used as a recycled PP source, as opposed to industrial waste.

“Adding more glass fibres and using less recycled polypropylene gives a mixture that more clearly approaches that of virgin material. An eco-friendly design using large amounts of recycled material will thus always have significantly decreased properties, leading to the use of more material,” the researchers concluded. “In itself this does not have to be a problem, using a larger amount of waste material also means less waste to burn. It is, however, also clear that reusing the material more than once leads to more significant loss of properties as is evident from the loss of properties of mixtures 3 and 4 compared with mixtures 1 and 2. Using recycled polypropylene for products with a short service life is thus counterproductive as it produces unusable waste which can only be burned, as it will not biologically degrade in a land fill. It is thus important to use recycled polypropylene in such a way that a sufficiently long life time is achieved with a clear route for final disposal at the end.”

The team also stated that there appeared to be no clear relation between strain at fracture and failure stress, and determined that properties at 45° or 90° to the print direction are much lower than in the print direction.

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