One of the most popular 3D printing materials is plastic. Plastic consists of semi-synthetic or synthetic materials and their shapes can be easily changed. Most synthetic plastics are made of petrochemicals. Despite its largely synthetic nature, environmental issues cause people to choose renewable compounds, e.g., polylactic acid (PLA). Below are more details of the most popular plastics in 3D printing.
Polylactic Acid (PLA)
PLA is relatively strong but depending on the geometry, it can be slightly more brittle than other plastics. It is, however, biodegradable and available in a variety of colors. That’s why it is a popular choice for prototyping. Unlike synthetic plastics, PLA is it does not release toxic gases during the printing process. PLA is made of renewable materials, such as corn starch. Because these ingredients are easily obtained, it an accessible 3D printing material.
Ease of use and consistency also make PLA a popular 3D printing material. PLA is easy to print and doesn’t need a high temperature nor a heated platform. PLA, however, is challenging to manipulate as it cools down and solidifies quickly. For this reason, some machines are equipped with an active cooling fan to manage the cooling rate during 3D printing processes.
ABS Filament
ABS is utilized in many applications, including manufacturing cell phone cases, appliances, and car bodywork. ABS filament is a thermoplastic that comprises elastomers of polybutadiene. This makes it reusable, flexible, shock-resistant, and can withstand extremely low to high temperatures. ABS, however, is not biodegradable and this has caused environmental concerns. In addition, it tends to shrink as it cools down. This makes it challenging for one to keep their parts stable during printing. For this reason, ABS needs to be soaked with heat most of the time. This is achieved through a heated chamber or in some cases with a heated build platform. Once the part is finished, it is important to gradually cool it as sudden temperature changes will cause it to warp, deform, or separate at the layer lines.
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETG)
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is an ubiquitous material used in plastic bottles. PET is a great 3d printing material for food as it is resistant to chemicals and is quite robust. Polyethylene terephthalate is a recyclable 3D printing material and does not off gas the way some materials do during 3D printing processes. The temperature range lies between 75 – 90 ºC. PET is a highly versatile 3D printing material and has variations, including PETT, PETF PETG, and PETE.
Nylon
Nylon consists of polyamides that are made from a white, fine powder with SLS technology. As a biocompatible 3D printing material, nylon is used in fused deposition modeling and food packaging, excluding products containing alcohol. The polyamide features a semi-crystalline structure. This makes it highly stable, flexible, rigid, and resistant to shock. Nylon is used across different industries, such as gear manufacturing for aerospace industries, medical prostheses, robotics, and more.
Polypropylene (PP)
Polypropylene is a thermoplastic that is commonly utilized in automotive industries. PP is highly resistant to abrasions, shock-absorbent, robust, and flexible. However, PP is not resistant to low temperatures and expands upon UV exposure. Polypropylene is often used in situations where lower strength is acceptable in favor of higher fatigue resistance and lightweight characteristics.
Polycarbonate (PC)
Polycarbonate (PC) is a very strong material and is common in the engineering industry. PC is resistant to high temperatures and has great impact resistance when compared to other materials, even when exposed to high temperatures of up to 150 ºC. A significant drawback of PC is that it absorbs moisture, which makes it particularly difficult to 3D print with. Excessive moisture is introduced during extrusion and it negatively impacts the 3D printing quality. Complete extrusion failure is one of these negative outcomes.
To find out Kemperle Industries’ 3D printing material recommendations, feel free to contact us today.
