MakerBot qualifies BASF Ultrafuse 316L stainless steel filament for METHOD 3D printers

MakerBot qualifies BASF Ultrafuse 316L stainless-steel filament for METHOD 3D printers

MakerBot qualified BASF’s Ultrafuse 316L stainless steel filament for its 3D printer MakerBot LABS Experimental Extruder and MakerBot METHOD.

The desktop 3D printing company has been working with BASF for a little less than a year to expand the material capacity of its METHOD 3D printing systems. It is believed that the addition of the Ultrafuse 316L stainless steel material will allow users to leverage the METHOD to create manufacturing aids, robotic grippers, and end-use components such as high strength enclosures.

The Ultrafuse 316L from BASF is said to be characterized by high strength, rigidity and durability and can be processed with the experimental MakerBot LABS GEN 2 extruder on the METHOD printers. Once the green part is created, users can send the component to an authorized service provider where it will be debonded and sintered in a high heat and pure hydrogen atmosphere before being shipped back within five days.

MakerBot evaluates the availability of the Ultrafuse 316 filament as a way for METHOD users to experiment with metal 3D printing before investing in more industrial equipment, while also noting the METHOD’s heated build chamber and ability to control speed cool the parts Reduce the risk of delamination and improve the quality of the surface finish.

“Ultrafuse Metal Filaments has removed the barriers between metal 3D printing and users to bring the technology to a wider audience,” commented Firat Hizal, head of the Metal Systems Group at BASF 3D Printing Solutions. “We are very pleased that our Ultrafuse 316L is part of the MakerBot LABS program. We’d like to add the Ultrafuse 316L to our recently launched Ultrafuse 17-4PH filament to make our entire portfolio accessible to MakerBot users. “

“Our customers have expressed an interest in researching metal 3D printing, but have been put off by the high cost and complex processes of traditional metal 3D printing solutions,” added Johan-Till Broer, vice president of product development at MakerBot. “By supporting a metal thread as part of the MakerBot LABS program, customers now have an easier, more cost-effective way to experiment with 3D printed metal before investing in a full printing, debinding, and sintering solution.”

Continue reading: Q&A: BASF discusses Ultrafuse 316L metal 3D printing filament

Debinding and sintering vouchers are offered by MatterHackers who, as a reseller of the Ultrafuse 316L material, also provides services for building board adhesives that are required for printing the material and construction advice due to the special requirements for the Ultrafuse 316L.

“We are excited to have MakerBot METHOD 3D printers join the metal 3D printing ecosystem that we have built with BASF Forward AM,” said Dave Gaylord, vice president of product and technology at MatterHackers. “Access to 3D printing has always been an important goal for MatterHackers. Reliable desktop printers like METHOD and METHOD X, with which real metal parts can be printed cost-effectively, are a big step forward. “

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MakerBot launches PETG filament for METHOD 3D printer

MakerBot launches PETG filament for METHOD 3D printer

Market leader in desktop 3D printing, MakerBothas announced its first specialty material offering for the METHOD 3D printer.

Users of the recently introduced performance system can now print with polyethylene terephthalate glycol, better known as PETG, to make parts for industrial applications, including functional prototypes, fixtures and fittings, and end-use components.

“PETG is the first product in a new range of materials for METHOD. Our customers have asked for different materials for a wide variety of applications that require high strength and durability, ”said Nadav Goshen, MakerBot CEO. “PETG is one of the most widely used polymers today. Because of its advanced properties and versatility, we consider PETG an excellent material for the production line and short-term production runs. “

This industrial grade material is expected to ship in June and has a heat deflection temperature of up to 70 ° C and strong layer adhesion to reduce shrinkage and warping during printing. PETG is moisture resistant and contains many chemicals and prints with a glossy surface and a good degree of ductility. It can also be used with METHOD’s water soluble PVA with double extrusion for complex parts and effortless removal of the carrier.

METHOD Specialty materials are intended for users looking for advanced material properties. They provide basic printing performance and may require additional workflow steps to print successfully. According to MakerBot, PETG requires a glue stick to be applied to the build plate before printing.

This latest specialty material also compliments MakerBot’s line of precision materials specifically designed for the METHOD printer, including MakerBot Tough, MakerBot PLA, and MakerBot PVA.

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MakerBot PETG filament

MakerBot releases PETG specialty filament for METHOD 3D printer » 3D Printing Media Community

3D printer manufacturer MakerBot expands its material portfolio for its METHOD 3D printer to include the approval of polyethylene terephthalate glycol or PETG. The PETG filament is the first specialty material that MakerBot brings out for its METHOD printer.

MakerBot introduced its METHOD 3D printer in December 2018 to bridge the gap between the desktop and industrial 3D printer markets. The 3D printer has a number of features that make it suitable for professional use, including a circulating heated chamber, double power extruders, and dry-sealed material chutes – all at an affordable price.

With the release of its special PETG filament, MakerBot now wants to give its METHOD users access to high-performance technical materials. The company also announced its intention to bring more specialty materials to its desktop additive manufacturing system.

“PETG is the first in a new line of materials for METHOD,” said Nadav Goshen, MakerBot CEO. “Our customers have asked for different materials for a variety of applications that require high strength and durability. PETG is one of the most widely used polymers today. Because of its advanced properties and versatility, we consider PETG an excellent material for the production line and short-term production runs. “

With the new PETG filament, engineers and designers can easily 3D print industrial parts, including functional prototypes, fixtures and fixtures, and even end-use parts. The material has a number of properties, including a heat resistance of up to 70 ° C and a strong layer adhesion that minimizes shrinkage and warping during the entire printing process. PETG is also characterized by good moisture and chemical resistance. For best results, the material should be used with an adhesive on the build plate.

METHOD users can easily combine the new PETG material with water-soluble PVA carriers thanks to the double extruders of the 3D printer. In terms of print quality, the PETG filament should be printed smooth and odorless. The final parts have good ductility and a shiny surface.

PETG is becoming increasingly popular as a 3D printing material because it combines many of the attractive properties of PLA and ABS such as durability, strength and flexibility. The material is effectively a modified version of PET, a common household plastic used in water bottles and all sorts of other items, which is less brittle and more impact resistant.

MakerBot’s new PETG filament is the latest filament to be developed for the company’s METHOD 3D printer. The company also has a range of precision materials for its professional 3D printer, which include MakerBot Tough, MakerBot PLA, and MakerBot PVA. These materials cover a range of prototyping, jig, and end-use parts use cases.

The new PETG material can be ordered in three colors: natural, red and black. It is priced at $ 69 per spool.

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MakerBot LABS Experimental Extruder.  Photo via MakerBot.

MakerBot establishes METHOD Supplies Program to increase 3D printing filament vary

MakerBot, the Brooklyn-based manufacturer of the METHOD The 3D printer has launched the METHOD Materials Development Program and MakerBot LABS Experimental Extruder to expand the range of filaments used in its systems.

As the first partner Jabil, CHEMISTRY, Polymaker, and Mitsubishi Chemical are working to qualify filaments for use in the METHOD platforms. Additionally, the MakerBot LABS Experimental Extruder aims to improve the settings for customization and enable printing of high temperature materials.

“The MakerBot METHOD platform provides engineers with features previously only available on much more expensive industrial 3D printers,” said Nadav Goshen, CEO of MakerBot.

“With these features, METHOD 3D printers can achieve industrial reliability, precision, and engineering performance by closely controlling the entire printing environment from the heated chamber to the sealed filament shafts and power extruders. We also know that many of our customers want the opportunity to experiment with different materials to explore new 3D printing applications. “

MakerBot LABS Experimental Extruder. Photo via MakerBot.

The METHOD material development program

The METHOD Materials Development Program focuses on the qualification of materials for industrial applications. The company develops through Jabil Engineered Materials Jabil PETg Electrostatic Dissipative (ESD), a material for sensitive electronics. Mitsubishi Chemical focuses on D.URABIO, a bio-based technical resin with a higher chemical and scratch resistance compared to polycarbonate (PC).

The French filament manufacturer KIMYA wants to qualify KIMYA ABS CARBON, a composite material with 30% chopped carbon fiber for improved rigidity and compressive strength. The company is also developing KIMYA ABS ESD, a material filled with carbon nanotubes for lights and electronics housings and KIMYA PETG CARBON, a reinforced material with carbon fibers for excellent rigidity.

in addition, Polymaker PolyMax PC, a Filament that combines excellent strength, toughness, heat resistance and print quality Polymaker PolyMax PC-FR, afLame-resistant PC filaments (UL94V-0 / 1.5 mm) are processed. These materials are expected to open up new applications in the automotive, railroad and aerospace industries.

MakerBot LABS Experimental Extruder.  Photo via MakerBot.MakerBot LABS Experimental Extruder. Photo via MakerBot.

MakerBot LABS Experimental Extruder

The METHOD 3D printer functions a circulating heated chamber, dual performance extruder and dry-sealed material chutes. MakerBot modified the hot ends of the experimental extruder to make changing the nozzle assembly easier. It is planned to offer additional nozzle configurations soon and shortly is expected to be released in an open beta program next month.

Formnext visitors can see the MakerBot LABS Experimental Extruders in Hall 12.1, Stand F99.

MakerBot LABS Experimental Extruder.  Photo via MakerBot.MakerBot LABS Experimental Extruder. Photo via MakerBot.

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The picture shown shows MakerBot LABS Experimental Extruders. Photo via MakerBot.

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Printing tests on the final composite magnetic filament.  Photos on the University of Seville.

Seville researchers develop novel technique of composite filament manufacturing

Researchers from the University of Seville, Spain has developed a new process for making highly customizable composite filaments for the FFF 3D printing process.

The process uses pellet-like polymer capsules filled with magnetic additives. Using a 3devo Composer 450 filament manufacturer – a single-screw desktop extruder – the team was able to produce a special composite filament from the capsules that has an even distribution of additives and excellent printability properties.

Printing tests on the final composite magnetic filament. Photos on the University of Seville.

Formulation of filaments for FFF

Filaments and materials in general can be further functionalized with additives – particles that are embedded in the base matrix and add strength or some other desirable property. In the case of polymer filaments, achieving a very uniform additive dispersion can significantly increase homogeneity and maximize mechanical properties throughout the material. This usually requires several extrusion cycles with a twin screw compounder in order to really use the entropy effects.

While the cyclic method is effective, it is often impossible without special production equipment that a research laboratory may not always have available, let alone the time it takes to spend multiple extrusion runs. As a result, materials studies are sometimes limited to the compositions and filler concentrations offered by commercial companies – a potential impedance to science.

PLA capsules and steel powder

The first part of the Seville study involved the formulation of the new particle-filled capsules. The scientists used commercially available PLA pellets to 3D print a grid of open hollow capsules (almost like an ice cube tray). The team then filled each capsule with soft magnetic maraging steel powder before the lids were closed with PLA lids and sealed with acetone. The result: a range of highly customizable PLA pods filled with magnetic powder.

Printing and filling the capsules.  Image via the University of Seville.Printing and filling the capsules. Image via the University of Seville.

Then it was time to extrude the newly developed capsules to make the final filament. Since the capsules were completely sealed, the risk of the magnetic additive building up and being retained in certain places in the extruder was eliminated. The PLA shells reached the melt zone of the extruder in one piece so they could maintain their filler levels throughout the process.

SEM image of the magnetic steel in the PLA matrix.  Image via the University of Seville.SEM image of the magnetic steel in the PLA matrix. Image via the University of Seville.

X-ray tomography imaging of the resulting filament indicated that the batch had produced a smooth and continuous composite material with a uniform magnetic powder distribution. The researchers cite the need for a single extrusion run on a relatively inexpensive single screw extruder as the main advantage of the process. Despite the lack of industrial resources, the team continued to be able to create a predictable and reproducible filament composition and intends to expand research to other polymer matrices and additives.

X-ray tomography showing the even distribution of the steel in the PLA matrix.  Image via the University of Seville.X-ray tomography showing the even distribution of the steel in the PLA matrix. Image via the University of Seville.

For more details on the study, see the article entitled ‘Novel process for the production of functional composite filaments for additive manufacturing on a laboratory scale‘. It is co-author of Á. Díaz-García, JY Law, A. Cota, A. Bellido-Correa, J. Ramírez-Rico, R. Schäfer and V. Franco.

Multi-material composite filaments have grown in importance in recent years as the technology used for printing has advanced. Earlier this month 3D printer manufacturer RIZE debuted his new very durable RIZIUM fiberglass filament for use with its FFF 3D printers. The fiber-reinforced material has high dimensional stability and rigidity and is mainly intended for the manufacture of large parts.

Elsewhere, the U.S. Army has gone a step further and reinforced one polymer filament with another polymer filament. The high strength material has a Polycarbonate core and an ABS shelland is designed for use with low cost extrusion printers.

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The picture shown shows the X-ray tomography of the evenly distributed steel in the PLA matrix. Image via the University of Seville.