Better results with elastomer 3D printing
To take advantage of the high-performance and professional FDM technology, STRATASYS offers GrabCAD Print software, developed for the F123 3D printer series. GrabCAD Print provides users with an intelligently customizable 3D printing solution that meets the specific requirements of the industry.
The challenge:
The use of elastomer materials continues to grow worldwide, and various industries have increasingly begun to turn to 3D printing to reduce costs and time to market. As with all technologies, achieving optimal results depends on understanding the unique challenges of the elastomer, given its flexibility.
Large, industrial printing systems are labor-intensive. Smaller, lower-cost FDM systems may have the advantage of low initial cost, but their build capacity limits the size of parts you can produce. It is critical that the support material does not limit the complexity of the parts. These lower-cost printers build supports from the material of the models, which results in degraded surface quality when the supports are removed.
The solution: STRATASYS F123 and the soluble support material
The answer to this challenge is an elastomer 3D printing system that offers good accessibility, great design freedom, ease of handling, and a soluble support material. This combination enables the rapid and cost-effective production of larger, more complex elastomer parts.
The STRATASYS F123™ Series 3D Printers offer all of these capabilities using FDM™ TPU 92A, a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer plastic. But the most valuable of these plastics is the QSR™ dissolvable support material. QSR allows you to print complex geometries that would otherwise be unfeasible. The F123 Series is proven to be reliable and provides true plug-and-play application.
TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane Elastomer) has excellent properties such as stretchability, excellent strength and extreme durability, making it suitable for 3D printing complex, hollow, flexible prototypes and small-scale production. The soluble support material eliminates design compromises and reduces costs.
The soluble support material is separated from the finished object in a container designed for this process, unlike frangible support material, which can be removed by hand. Removing frangible support material from pipes with internal passages is time-consuming, if it is accessible at all. However, parts made with soluble support materials can simply be immersed in a solution that dissolves the support material. In addition, soluble support material avoids the surface damage and dimensional stability problems that are typical of frangible support separation.
The new, flexible and tear-resistant material offers a wide range of applications in industries such as the automotive industry and sports equipment manufacturing. It can be used to make various seals, hoses, pipes, console liners, handles, and surface protectors, among others.
Source: VARINEX /Production trend online