Polyplastics
Polyplastics 3D printing
Polyplastics, a leading supplier of engineering thermoplastics, has developed 3D printing technology for production of DURACON polyoxymethylene (POM) products.
The material extrusion (MEX) technology delivers physical properties close to those of injection moulded articles despite being 3D printed, according to the creators.
A team from Polyplastics will be highlighting the new technology at the upcoming K 2022 exhibition in Düsseldorf, Germany, October 19 to 26. According to the company, the MEX process can also be applied in preliminary evaluations of physical properties, functions, durability, and other properties without needing a mould, which helps to accelerate the product development cycle.
The MEX process uses thermoplastic resin materials. With resin filaments as the material input, the method produces 3D structures by repeatedly tracing and layering while depositing melted material extruded through a tiny nozzle.
Typically, only amorphous resins or resins with low crystallinity, such as ABS or polyamide, had been suitable for use in the MEX 3D printing process. The high crystallinity and rapid rate of crystallisation of POM made it unsuitable for use in the process. To address POM’s limitations, Polyplastics’ MEX 3D printing technology combines POM grades with printing conditions optimised for their crystallisation behaviour.
In addition to accelerating the product development cycle, the MEX technology could also be targeted for low-volume manufacturing of custom products. Polyplastics is currently developing additional DURACON POM filament materials for use in 3D printing, including reinforced grades, and is seeking a patent for the technology. The company is also producing product trial samples with the technology.
