To create objects, it is essential to know the various materials and components. you not only the different 3D printing technologies but also all the elements that constitute the core of this 3D technology: plastics, metals, organic materials and ceramics.
Today we deal with the materials most commonly used to 3D - the plastics.
ABS
This plastic is, for example, based on the LEGO bricks, based on numerous housing and panels of devices or objects and is very often used for car bodies or household appliances. It belongs to the family of thermoplastics and also contains on polybutadiene-based elastomers, which make the material soft and shock-proof.
ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) a special plastic from the Group of polymers and ideal for 3D is suitable. The melting temperature of this plastic is between 200 and 250 ° C, and it can withstand temperatures from-20 to + 80 ° C. ABS materials are very resilient, allowing a smooth surface, are recyclable and can be smoothed out by chemical processes. It is, however, non-biodegradable and requires a heated build platform, to prevent a detachment of the parts of the platform.
ABS is used mainly in the process of enamel layering (FDM) and is thus suitable as the Replicator 2 of Makerbot or the Ultimate with the most private Desktop printers. A variation of the ABS in liquid form is also used to 3D by SLA and PolyJet.
PLA
In contrast to ABS, this polymer (polylactic acid or even polylactic acid) is biologically degradable cornstarch it is based on the renewable raw material. One of its most important characteristics is the fact that it hardly deforms when it cools or contracts, which is why you get more detailed forms with higher precision. A heated platform in FDM 3D printing is not required for this material. Because PLA is non-toxic, it is often used for the production of products, which come into contact with foodstuffs. The print head should however always consist of stainless steel.
Compared with ABS, the PLA is slightly more difficult to handle, because it rapidly cools and hardens. In contact with water damage can occur also and it can rub off eventually. This is often translucent material printer model how the Replicator 2 and the CubeX and allows any surface processing in multiple colors.
Polyamide
Components are often made polyamide by a fine, powder-like and white pellets through the process of selective laser sintering (SLS). However, there are also materials from the family of plastics that are used in the form of a filament to 3D by enamel layering (FDM).
Thanks to its biological compatibility polyamides, can be used, just like PLA to the manufacture of food contact products (except alcohol). In contrast to the materials of PLA and ABS, smooth surfaces without grooves structure can be produced by polyamide.
Since this material consists of partially crystalline structures, it offers a combination of excellent mechanical and chemical properties, such as stability, strength, flexibility and impact resistance. Thanks to these advantages are there one many application possibilities, high attention to detail and offers superior quality. Polyamides are for example in the production of transmissions, components for the aerospace, automotive and robotics for medical prostheses or injection molds for use.
Nylon
Nylon is less expensive than the plastics ABS or PLA and is used more and more in the personal 3D printing. Here for detailed information about this material.
Alumide
Alumide components consist of his combination of polyamide and aluminum. It is in powder form and is processed through the process of selective laser sintering (SLS). This material offers high strength and heat resistance (up to 172 ° C) with a slightly porous surface and a somewhat grainy and Sandy appearance, is shock-resistant and relatively flexible. It distinguishes itself also by his good editing capabilities, such as milling, grinding, polishing or coating. This allows the object to give a metallic look.
Alumide used to manufacture metallic-looking, particularly rigid and complex models, design products or functional parts in small series. The applied technology brings but low geometric constraints.
Resins
Resins can be thermoplastic (through polymerization) and form the raw material of different techniques, such as Stereolithography (SLA) and the PolyJetprocess. High gloss, matte, black, white, and even transparent objects can be obtained with this material. The latter have limitations in your design and its functionality, but you can rely on the quality and the smoothness of its surface, as well as on transparency. In any case, it is possible to stain the surface, as well as to carry out many more treatments.
High-precision resins offered by i.materialise and are ideal for models of smaller size (up to 100 x 100 x 100 mm), a precise and detailed form with a glossy finish and without grooves or impurities require. The color of the material is a bright white; the subsequent coloring of the article is not recommended as this can lead to a loss of detail.
Polypropylene
Polypropylene is to another thermoplastic material, commonly used in the automotive industry, for disposable overalls and a range of everyday items. Polypropylene (short: PP) is known for its resistance to abrasion and impact resistance as well as for its rigidity and flexibility.
Disadvantages of this material are its weak resistance and its sensitivity to UV radiation. Several printer manufacturers have developed variations of the polypropylene, for this reason, to improve its physical and mechanical properties.
You can find here, for example, the series of materials VisiJet by the 3D system, such as the VisiJet Flex (flexibility) or the VisiJet HiTemp (high rigidity and increased heat and moisture resistance of up to 130 ° C). Another example is the series of DurusWhite of the manufacturer of objects. Also, EnvisionTEC offers LS600 material for the production of high-precision components.
Plastic Composites
In a previous article, 3Dnatives explains the technology of the PolyJettings and the composite materials used, also digital materials known. At this moment you can prototype leistunsfähige, which comes very close to the final product and its properties (temperature resistance, biocompatibility, stiffness or flexibility) and can be multicolored.
At the same time the Z Corporation (by 3D systems bought) a technology based on ordinary printer paper, which is similar to the 2D-Druck and allows a high-resolution printing with more than 390,000 tones. The printer converts any color from the RGB color space (red, green, blue) to print to a CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) color value. ZEdit software allows you to add colors and colorful textures to the 3D files. To save costs, only the outline of the object is colored print, and the Center generally remains white.
To meet the requirements for a multicolor 3D printing were other machines, such as the Replicator dual extruder Makerbot or the CubeX duo, as well as the CubeX trio of Cubify (ABS and PLA in 18 different colors available) developed. For producing transparent parts, on the other hand, has been working on the development of further materials for SLA, SLS, and DLP technologies 3D system, and offers, for example, Accura ClearVue, Accura peak and VisiJet clear map.
Source :
- https://ultratechstuff.weebly.com/blog/common-3d-printer-problems-and-mistakes-for-3d-printing
- https://www.3ders.org/3d-printing-basics.html
- https://www.autodesk.com/redshift/what-materials-are-used-in-3d-printing/
- https://3dprinting.com/materials/
- https://imperialpheonix.wordpress.com/2018/06/04/what-materials-can-be-used-in-3d-printing/
