MakerBot
MakerBot ASA TCT Show
MakerBot has announced the introduction of ASA material to its Method X 3D printing system while exhibiting at TCT Show.
The addition of ASA will enable users to produce outdoor applications that need to withstand harsh environments, such as in the automotive, power and utilities, agriculture, oil & gas, and mass transit industries. With high water-resistant properties, the material is suitable for parts such as outdoor electrical box covers, gardening equipment and automotive side view mirror housings.
ASA shares similar mechanical properties with ABS but has better resistance to heat and chemicals, while also maintaining gloss and colour when exposed to the outside. By combining the material with the Stratasys SR-30 industrial support material, users are said to be able to take advantage of greater repeatability and produce more consistent parts with ± 0.2 mm dimensional accuracy.
It will be available for users of the Method X platform which was launched in August and is being showcased at a trade show for the first time in Birmingham, UK. The machine boasts a 100°C circulating heated chamber which helps to ensure engineers can achieve the desired dimensional accuracy in their additively manufactured parts at low cost.
MakerBot believes the introduction of ASA is a significant development for the company as it increasingly positions itself as a manufacturing solutions provider.
“We are committed to adding a wide range of materials to the Method platform to support the different needs of our customers and their applications,” said Nadav Goshen, CEO, MakerBot. “The Method X Circulating Heated Chamber allows engineers to produce strong and durable parts with industrial materials. We believe that ASA can deliver high-performing mechanical properties that will enable companies to develop better products.”
