As the choice of materials becomes more exotic for the 3D printing industry, so does the way we store and print our materials. The biggest problem with materials is the moisture content that is absorbed into the filament from the environment. In humid habitats, hygroscopic materials like PVA can spoil in a few hours, the Polybox ™ shields the filament from the humid air, creating a dry environment to store your materials.
The moisture content in filaments can cause a variety of problems from inconsistent extrusion to poor surface quality and ultimately to yield a printed part with poor mechanical properties due to poor layer adhesion. In environments with> 20% humidity, water molecules will quickly absorb into the filament-forming polar bonds with the polymer chain. When the filament reaches the hot end, the moisture will expand rapidly, boil and tear the filament apart. This causes bubbles in between layers, inconsistent extrusion due to material expansion, and poor surface quality due to the fluctuating flow rate. Materials like PVA, nylon and PolySmooth ™ are particularly susceptible to moisture absorption, but ABS, polycarbonate and PLA are also hygroscopic.
The Polybox ™ is a dry storage box that allows you to print and store your threads in their optimal environment ensuring the best print quality from the beginning of the spool to the end. The PolyBox ™ comes with a 150 cm long filament guide tube to ensure that the filament is protected from the spool to the hot end. There are six filament exit holes in a reversible housing. Whether your printer is front, rear, or side-fed, there is an orientation that will suit your setup.
The Polybox ™ regulates moisture with large desiccant bags in the base of the device. This cheap, simple solution provides a dry environment for filament storage and printing. The desiccants can be dried and reused once they have reached their maximum water absorption. With four bearing-wrapped steel bars, two spools can rotate independently for double extrusion, or the PolyBox ™ can hold a 3kg spool for long prints or industrial use. The humidity in the box can be monitored with a high-precision thermo-hygrometer on the front of the device.
The PolyBox ™ is a simple solution to the growing problem of the proper storage of 3D printing filaments. With Polymaker Industrial offering 4 grades of nylon next year and Polymaker launching its own nylon next year, the need to properly store your filaments is more important today than ever. Why should we be held back by moisture absorption when innovative materials open new doors in the 3D printing industry?
PolyBox ™ will be available on the 25thth from September worldwide, MSRP $ 69.99, € 69.99
