Material innovations for 3D printing are getting hot and heavy lately. From exotic metal powders to a variety of formulations from PEEK to copper, the look, strength, and surface finish of a 3D printed object is becoming less complex day by day.
Now RepRapper Tech Co. Ltd. launched a new metal mix for common 3D consumables such as ABS and PLA. This time – after the copper version was released in January – it’s aluminum.
RepRapper Tech is a professional 3D printing filament manufacturer founded in 2012. The company said it was the first to develop conductive filaments and filaments that change color, and is the world’s leading supplier of ABS, PLA and HIPS, PC, POM, nylon, wood and flexible 3D -Printer filaments. They also offer a fluorescent range of UV sensitive and glow in the dark materials.
The company states that their filaments meet RoHS criteria and have been certified by SGS. Your production facility has also passed an ISO 9001 audit and received this certification.
Aluminum is used in a wide variety of industrial applications because of its light weight, durability, corrosion resistance and low cost. RepRapper says it also includes features that provide the material benefits of 3D printing.
The new RepRapper Aluminum PLA is made from roughly 30% aluminum powder mixed with pure PLA, and RepRapper says it can be easily printed on most popular 3D printers.
It can be printed at a temperature of around 210 ° C – which of course depends on the printer used – but a heated bed is recommended for better adhesion and a more accurate end product.
Aluminum PLA filaments come in two different spool sizes, a 250g pack, which is best for trial orders, and a 1kg pack for full print jobs.
It is available in 1.75 mm, offers tolerances of +/- 0.04 mm, a printing temperature between 190 and 240 ° C, a reel size of 150 mm in diameter, 51 mm hub and 41 mm in height, and excellent thermal conductivity.
RepRapper says it solidifies quickly even though it needs supportive material. It is compatible with MakerBot, UP, Afinia and Solidoodle 3D printers without a lock key.
Can you imagine a project that would benefit from being printed in this new RepRapper Aluminum PLA? If you’d like to use it, please send us a photo as revealed on the RepRapper Aluminum PLA forum thread on 3DPB.com.