3D Programs and EMS-GRILTECH have entered right into a strategic partnership to boost additive manufacturing supplies growth. Combining 3D Programs’ experience and management, as an additive manufacturing options companion, with EMS-GRILTECH’s (a Enterprise Unit of EMS Group) experience within the specialised manufacturing of polyamides has enabled the businesses to introduce a novel nylon copolymer – DuraForm PAx Pure. This materials possesses properties much like injection molded plastics and options excessive affect resistance with excessive elongation at break in any course. DuraForm PAx Pure is designed for use with any commercially-available selective laser sintering printer, whatever the producer – facilitating ease of integration into current manufacturing workflows.
3D Programs is the unique distributor of this materials which can be utilized to fabricate robust, light-weight, production-grade elements for purposes similar to orthotics, tooling handles, splints and braces, ducting in rugged environments, residing hinges, liquid reservoirs, and enclosures requiring excessive affect and excessive toughness. DuraForm PAx Pure is designed to print at a low temperature (i.e., 120°C) which facilitates efficiencies in each printing and post-processing. When in comparison with different nylon supplies (i.e., PA-11 and PA-12), DuraForm PAx Pure permits considerably decreased time to parts-in-hand which not solely helps service bureaus and producers keep their competitiveness but in addition helps speed up provide chains. The low printing temperature of this materials permits excessive throughput, and its designation as a clear operating materials leads to low operator upkeep. With the decrease printing temperature, elements could be able to ship the day after an order is obtained. Comparable PA12-based elements will want one other day earlier than an element is able to be shipped.
DuraForm PAx Pure possesses spectacular long-term stability rankings of over 5 years indoors, for mechanical properties and colour. When elements are post-processed utilizing vapor-honing – completed elements have glorious translucency and easy end which boosts the breadth of purposes for which this materials can be utilized. Moreover, the vapor-honed DuraForm PAx Pure materials strikes the elongation at yield functionality previous that of PA-11 and PA-12 supplies. This materials additionally has excessive reuse charges (a 30% refresh fee is advisable) which helps cut back waste and reduce manufacturing prices.
“We’re very excited to have the ability to collaborate with EMS-GRILTECH in a means that enables us to not solely advance our innovation roadmap but in addition advance supplies efficiency for the trade,” mentioned Dr. Edwin Hortelano, Senior Vice President of Supplies Engineering & Growth, at 3D Programs. “With DuraForm PAx Pure, we’re not solely bringing a superior product with main mechanical properties, we’re additionally delivering a brand new materials to be used with any SLS printing know-how, which we intend to develop to different powder-bed fusion platforms. That is our first step in opening 3D Programs’ supplies portfolio to your entire trade which permits a broader pool of producers to understand the advantages of this unmatched materials. We look ahead to introducing extra PAx-based supplies amongst others sooner or later.”
“The EMS Group is a longtime worldwide chief in high-performance polymers for injection molding and powder-based purposes. EMS-GRILTECH has noticed the powder mattress fusion additive manufacturing trade with eager curiosity over the past years, realizing that the know-how is restricted by the efficiency of the accessible supplies. Thus, along with 3D Programs, we determined to make use of our experience to develop supplies that exhibit glorious efficiency in PBF methods and on the identical time present technical properties that match these of injection molding. EMS-GRILTECH is happy in regards to the capabilities of DuraForm PAx Pure and we’re trying ahead to creating added worth for the additive manufacturing trade with additional materials novelties sooner or later,” mentioned Simon Maier, Head of Gross sales and Advertising and marketing at EMS-GRILTECH.
Whereas only recently launched, DuraForm PAx Pure is already receiving constructive suggestions from end-users. “DuraForm PAx Pure essentially disrupts the SLS know-how price construction in addition to permits us to profitably produce elements that have been beforehand tough to justify utilizing a powder materials,” mentioned Mike Littrell, President of CIDEAS Inc (buildparts.com). “This revolutionary materials gives polypropylene-like mechanical properties, has excessive elongation, excessive affect, and gives a excessive recycle fee. Now we have a buyer that steadily orders massive, one-off distinctive elements that weren’t ideally fitted to a powder course of. DuraForm PAx Pure is the right materials to make use of for such a utility and construct measurement whereas being able to producing a fantastically completed product.”
