flexible filament
21 Dec
Blog

How To Succeed When Printing With Versatile Filament

3D printing was a hot topic in the 21st century. People have been working with 3D printers and trying to create a lot of objects. Flexible filaments are a widely used material and can be used to create any complex elastic design. Since this is 3D printing, let’s discuss 3D printing with flexible filaments.

If you are new to this field you can face many challenges and it may not be easy. However, printing with flexible filament is easier than it looks. This concept is widely used from TPE to Soft PLA. When we talk about design, these filaments are actually printable rubber and because of this, it can create complex elastic designs that might otherwise be impossible. These filaments are available in different variants. There are different colors, hardnesses, and chemical makeup that you can use to give your product different properties.

What is flexible 3D printing?

Most people want to know what exactly is flexible 3D printing. If you’ve printed with PLA filament, you know that it is tough and brittle. The products from which the models are made are mainly made of rubber, which can be heated and given the required shape as needed. This doesn’t work with 3D printers. You have to combine different materials like rubber polymers with plastic polymers to get a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). You can also create thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic polyester copolyamide elastomer (PCTPE) or soft PLA. These materials are used in many industries to make various items. Most of these items are used in a vehicle. If you print with resin filament, you can also make edible products. Rules of 3D printing

There are certain rules that need to be followed when using the flexible filament for printing.

  1. No pull back when printing

The first rule is that there should be no withdrawal. It is better to turn off the retraction while printing. Constantly extruding and retracting can cause problems. The printer has to fill the hotend with more filament and can cause defects in the final product.

  1. Keep the filament dry

It is imperative that you dry the flexible filament every time. This can be accomplished by placing the filament in an oven at 200 ° F for about 6 hours, then turning the oven off and cooling to room temperature. Most filaments will break if you use them wet. The water droplets can also leave voids in the final print that may not look good. Keeping the filament dry is good for the end product. The resins come in many forms, so they can easily be used to create 3D printer objects. A high quality resin is mostly used for printing with resin filaments. It helps create a naturally smooth surface.

  1. Slow down

You can print very quickly with certain filaments such as PLA or ABS because they are hard material and easy to move around on the product. This does not apply to flexible printing. If you slow down the whole process, there is less chance of error. You can start 30mm / s as the top speed at startup. Certain printers may require you to work faster or slower, but the 30mm / s works best.

There are certain myths when it comes to using flexible filaments for printing. Many believe that you can’t use this on Bowden printers and it won’t even print well. With recent advances, the biggest improvement has been to limit the filament path. This will ensure that the filament won’t come out of the bond and stay in place.

The first layer

It’s always important to get the first layer right every time you print. To do this, you need to make sure that the printing surface is level. In addition, the extruder must be at the correct height from the bed and the nozzle must be the correct distance from the bed. Last but not least, the base should be made of good material and adhere to the flexible filament. Make sure the temperature is correct too and temperatures that are too high and too low are bad for the end product.

Conclusion

The steadily growing interest in 3D printing and the invention of new methods of creating a model have made this a very important work. Soon the way we make and handle objects and even food would change.

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100481_2
20 Dec
Blog

TPU 93: a Versatile Filament Resolution from German RepRap – 3DPrint.com

Flexible, elastic filaments have opened up a whole range of new functional parts that 3D printers can produce. According to the German RepRap, the latest TPU 93 material is ideal for the quick and inexpensive creation of prototypes for handles or seals.

German RepRap GmbH was originally founded in 2010 as the German RepRap Foundation. Since then, the company has developed and commercialized 3D printing solutions based on RepRap Fused Filament Fabrication technologies. The company also markets 3D scanners, filaments, software and accessories.

Their X400 machine was the first entry from a German company for a large capacity 3D printer for professional users. German RepRap builds professional 3D printers for product development, prototyping, mold and model construction, architecture and design. They also offer 3D printer kits for prosumers.

GermanRepRap X400

GermanRepRap X400

With the TPU 93 filament, the company offers a thermoplastic polyurethane that is ideal for products such as cable sheathing, and it can also be used as a coating for “soft-touch” surfaces in vehicle interiors. It is soft, UV and ozone resistant, and offers excellent weather resistance and abrasion resistance.

The TPU 93 filament has a very high degree of flexibility – in fact, according to the test according to DIN EN ISO 527, the material can reach an elongation of 500% before the break point – and it has a Shore hardness of 93. This hardness means that the filament is more resistant to oils and fats than TPE filaments and more elastic than soft PLA.

Since TPU 93 also has a high resistance to infiltration against microorganisms, it is also suitable for end-use applications in medical technology.

According to German RepRap, TPU 93 has been optimized for processing in 3D printers and offers excellent flow properties. The material is processed at 190–215 ° C and does not require a heated building platform. However, extruders are required that have a continuous filament supply, such as germanreprap2the DD3 extruder of the German RepRap X350.

It is available in 1.75 mm diameter on 1 kg spools and TPU 93 is sold in the German RepRap online shop as well as by authorized dealers worldwide. Each spool made of translucent TPU 93 costs € 74.79 in the German RepRap store and USD 149.99 at 3DChimera, the authorized US dealer for German RepRap.

Have you ever used German RepRap products, printers or filaments? How about this newest filament? Let us know on the TPU 93 forum thread on 3DPB.com.

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Graph 3d laboratory
19 Dec
Blog

Graphene 3D Lab Introduces New Conductive Versatile TPU Filament for 3D Printed Wearable Electronics, Medical Units and Extra – 3DPrint.com

Graphene 3D Lab’s business is pretty obvious from the name itself: they make and sell graphene 3D printing materials. Since graphene is the wonder material of the moment, that’s not a bad thing – but Graphene 3D Lab creates a lot more than just graphene materials. They also produce what we might call “ordinary” 3D printing materials i.e. non-graphs, but there is really nothing ordinary about either of them.

Graphene 3D Lab’s other 3D printing materials include magnetic and other specialty PLA filaments, as well as the recently launched line of flexible filaments. Today the company announced that it has added a new conductive filament to its flexible materials. The conductive flexible TPU filament combines the rubbery TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) material from Graphene 3D Lab with highly electrically conductive properties that make it ideal for flexible electronics.

tpu“We are very excited to bring such an innovative filament to our ever-evolving line of products,” said Elena Polyakova, Co-CEO of Graphene 3D Lab. “The improvements to our production facility equipment and extensive research by our employees have given us the opportunity to now offer an exciting new product that has two of the most sought-after 3D printing properties: flexibility and conductivity.”

Possible applications for the new material are flexible sensors, flexible conductor tracks and electrodes for portable electronic devices as well as medical devices, pressure-sensitive keys, digital keyboards and trackpads, electromagnetic / high-frequency shielding and much more. (Note: Graphene 3D Lab recommends the material for low power applications of no more than 12 volts.)

“Additive manufacturing enables technology for small innovative companies that use 3D printing to create their prototypes. By adding the conductive flexible TPU filament to our line of functional 3D printing filaments, we have expanded the capabilities of 3D printing, shortening the path from development to commercial use. We believe our new filament will perform well in thriving business communities such as new wearable electronics product developers, ”said Co-CEO Daniel Stolyarov.

tpumedical

The conductive flexible TPU has a volume resistivity of <1.25 Ω-cm and a hardness of Shore 90 A. Some of the printing parameters recommended by Graphene 3D Lab include:

  • Extruder temperature: 210 ° C.
  • Platform temperature: 20-50 ° C.
  • Printing speed: 2400 mm / min
  • Nozzle size:> 0.4 mm

Conductive Flexible TPU is currently available from BlackMagic3D, the online materials store. The material, which comes in a 1.75mm diameter, is matte black in color and costs $ 45 for a 100 gram spool. It is the second conductive filament from the Graphene 3D Lab, which also introduced a conductive graphene filament last year. Conductive Flexible TPU is not only more physically flexible, but also more versatile in terms of applications – especially when electronics penetrate more demanding areas such as wearables. Discuss further on the Graphene 3D Flexible TPU Filament Forum on 3DPB.com.

conductive

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TPU flexible filament
18 Dec
Blog

Versatile Filament: The Highway to 3D Printing Success

As the manufacturing industry is democratized by 3D printing, the technology is also being studied, researched, tested and used by people from different industries. The technology is not limited to engineers, but designers, hobbyists, and enthusiasts also use the technology and construction products.

However, 3D printing is not as automated as any manufacturing technology in general. It takes a lot of trial and error. By gaining experience through constant changes and tweaks to settings and the appearance of bad printouts, users learn the nuances of the technology.

The “Road to 3D Printing Success” series

With the same hands-on experience, Manufactur3D brings you the “Road to 3D Printing Success” series in which we focus on helping any 3D printing enthusiast by sharing tips and techniques for 3D printing success. By explaining how to work with various filaments, cutting machines, construction software and even 3D printers, we aim to help users always experience a successful print.

In this article, we explain how you can be successful in 3D printing with flexible filament.

What is a flexible filament?

Above: Part 3D printed in flexible filament / Photo credit: Voodoo Manufacturing

As the name suggests, a flexible filament is an elastomer that is generally made up of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) and is a combination of polymer and rubber. The amount of rubber in the mixture determines the elasticity of the filament and depends on the application it can make. Flexible filaments are often found in two types: thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). Both filaments are more or less similar, but offer slightly different properties. TPU offers greater rigidity than TPE and is therefore comparatively easier to print.

The flexible filaments can be easily bent and twisted when force is applied, but return to their original shape when the force is removed.

General print settings
Printing temperature: 200 ° C to 250 ° C.
Bed temperature: 50 ° C to 75 ° C.
Printing speed: 20-30 mm / s

Also Read: The Most Common Types of 3D Printing Filaments

Tips for flexible 3D printing

Slowly and steadily

Unlike many 3D printing filaments that can be printed at high speeds, flexible filaments must be printed at extremely low speeds. Materials like PLA, ABS, etc. are hard and easy to extrude at high speeds. However, because they are elastic and soft, the flexible filaments are difficult to extrude. When the extrusion speed is high, the extruders will pull on the filament and this will stretch the filament resulting in under-extrusion. This leads to failed prints. Therefore, to be successful, it is important to drive slowly and steadily. The printing speed should be close to 20-30 mm / s. The slower the speed, the better the pressure.

While some experts believe it is safe to use the Bowden tube, others argue that the material should be fed directly into the extruder assembly to avoid failure, eliminating the tube for flexible filaments.

It is also important to have a steady feed rate. Sudden changes in feed stretch the material or re-block the extrusion path, causing errors. While the initial layers are at a high rate of advance, the settings should be checked for those areas where the changes may suddenly occur and appropriate corrections should be made.

Avoid pulling back while printing

It is imperative that retraction should be completely avoided when printing with flexible 3D printing filament. The constant extrusion and retraction causes printing problems. Sometimes it gets under-extruded and on other occasions it gets over-extruded and even clogs the extruder assembly.

Keep the filament dry

It is always recommended to dry the filaments before printing. Additionally, while people avoid this simple step, drying a flexible filament is important before actually printing.

Filament drying in the oven

flexible filamentAbove: Special filament dryer / Photo credit: PrintDry

Filaments are generally dried in a forced air oven at 70 ° C to 90 ° C, depending on the type of material being dried. It is important to understand what material you are drying before adjusting the temperature.

The oven should be preheated and then the coil should be allowed to dry for about 4-6 hours. After drying, the filament must be stored in an airtight container with a desiccant.

Note: Contact the manufacturer beforehand.

A dried filament always prints better and gives better results. The prints are smooth and nice to the touch and feel good. It also reduces the chance of filaments breaking halfway during printing.

Filaments are also dried in special products designed to dry spools of filament.

Direct drive extrusion system

flexible filamentAbove: Direct Drive Extrusion and Bowden Tube Extrusion System / Photo credit: Forefront Filament

For flexible filaments, the direct drive extrusion systems work best. Since in a direct drive system the material is fed directly into the hot end after extrusion, while in the Bowden extrusion system the extruded filament is passed through a Bowden tube and then fed into the hot end. It is very difficult to print with a flexible filament for printers without a direct drive extrusion system.

Close the gap between the filament and the extrusion assembly

During printing in a printer with a direct drive extrusion system, the gears pull the filament as it extrudes the material into the heater. While it’s not a problem for hard filaments, it definitely causes problems for flexible filaments. This can cause the filament to stretch, resulting in under-extrusion.

The further the distance between the spool and the extrusion assembly, the greater the likelihood that the filament will be drawn and stretched. It is therefore recommended to mount the pool near the top of the printer. This way the filament will fall off under gravity and not be pulled.

If you closely watch the print you can unroll a small amount of filament to avoid stretching.

Note: You have to look carefully so that the unwound filament does not get tangled.

Temperature control

Make sure the print temperature is set correctly. If you are unsure about the temperature, print out the sample parts, refer to them, and make the changes below

Also read: Common 3D printing resins for the photopolymerization of vats

Covering

flexible filamentAbove: Excessive Stringing Example / Photo Credit: Ultimaker

If you see a lot of strings, then you need to gradually lower the temperature. The covering is done by melting an additional length of material than ideally should be. The extra molten material continues to drip and when the extruder is moved it sticks to the layer and causes threads. So the problem here is the high temperature.

Gradually decrease the temperature and observe the pressure. Stop when the stringing stops.

Bad layer adhesion

flexible filamentAbove: Example of poor layer adhesion / Photo credits: 3DHubs

If you find that the material does not adhere to the previous layer, that is, poor layer adhesion, then you can conclude that the temperature is low. You need to raise the temperature of the heater so that it will adequately heat and melt the material.

Continue increasing the temperature until clear lines are printed.

Note: While the manufacturer may share the ideal printing temperature factors like ambient temperature, humidity, filament moisture content, printer settings, and calibration, it will affect the actual printing temperature.

Important considerations

tolerance

When designing a tight fitting part with a flexible filament, the tolerances should be kept negative as the flexible part can be stretched to fit the other part. This holds the fit in place. A positive tolerance is loose and only dissolves more with use.

Create platform

Flexible filament generally has good bed adhesion and even a simple glue or painter’s tape on the build platform or a bed like a PEI will help the first layer adhere better.

Layer height

When printing with a flexible filament, keep the initial layer height in the range of 0.1mm to 0.2mm. Because small layers improve layer adhesion, the print has more chance of success.

While desktop 3D printing isn’t standardized across brands, it’s actually a boon in disguise. Desktop printing is a democratized version of industrial 3D printing technology and will continue to operate on a trial and error basis. It is important to always experiment and tweak your print settings to get better print results.

Through the ‘Path to success in 3D printingAt Manufactur3D, we will continue to publish informative articles to help enthusiasts around the world learn more about this amazing technology.

We encourage readers to leave comments and contact us if they have any questions about 3D printing and we will try to resolve them for them.

About Manufactur3D Magazine: Manufactur3D is an online 3D printing magazine that publishes the latest 3D printing news, insights, and analysis from around the world. Read more such informative articles on our 3D printing information Page.

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