Polymaker
Polymaker Covestro PC-ABS-fixture
Fixture 3D printed with PC-ABS.
Polymaker has announced the launch of three polycarbonate-based 3D printing materials co-developed with Covestro.
The companies have pooled together their respective chemical expertise to create materials designed for use in professional settings such as the automotive, aerospace and electronics industries.
Polymaker PC-ABS is a blend of polycarbonate and ABS and uses Covestro’s Babyblend family, a commonly used plastic material in the automotive and information technology industries, as its base material. The result is a strong material with high heat resistance and good processing properties. Polymaker PC-PBT is developed from Covestro’s Makroblend family, and, by teaming polycarbonate properties with PBT, boasts strength, toughness and good chemical resistance. The material is said to be suitable for applications that operate in sub-zero temperatures or come into contact with hydrocarbon chemicals, for example.
PolyMax PC-FR, meanwhile, has been based on Covestro’s Makrolon family and features Polymaker’s nano reinforcement technology which boosts the fracture toughness of its materials. The material achieves V0 performance in the UL94 flame retardancy test and can be used for applications like battery housings, aerospace motor mounts, and a host of other applications in the automotive and electronics spaces.
Covestro and Polymaker have been working together since April 2018, when they formed a partnership to set up an information platform on the use of polycarbonate materials in 3D printing. A co-owned website features information on 3D printing technologies, post-processing requirements, a series of industrial applications, and currently available materials. Recognising the importance of polycarbonate grades to industrial players, and 3D printing’s growing adoption in some of the most demanding sectors, Polymaker and Covestro are now beginning to expand that range of available materials.
