May 16, 2016 | By Alec
It must be a very busy time over at the Polymaker HQ in Shanghai. Their crowdfunding campaign for the Polysher/Polysmooth layer removal set is still ongoing (having already gathered more than $300,000 already), but they were simultaneously working on another significant 3D printer filament release. Called PC-Max, it’s their toughest and strongest 3D printable filament ever – perfect for practical 3D printing projects, engineering research and load-bearing components. They have also added three new color options to their PolyPlus and PolyMax filaments.
Polymaker, of course, already has a wide range of excellent high-strength and impact resistant filaments. Until now, their strongest option was PC-Plus, a popular Polycarbonate filament with excellent material properties. PC-Max is essentially an upgraded version of PC-Plus, specifically intended for the engineering sector. It has been under development for more than a year.
And like its predecessor, PC-Max was developed in collaboration with Covestro, formerly Bayer Material Science. Covestro provided the high quality raw polycarbonate resins and closely worked with the Polymaker team to enhance the filament formulation. “Covestro’s expertise, portfolio of products and industry leadership will be invaluable to our mission to provide the industry with the best materials with the performance, reliability and safety that will inspire our customers and expand our product portfolio,” said Polymaker CEO Dr. Xiaofan Luo.
So what’s so special about PC-Max? In a nutshell, it features mechanical properties that you rarely see in 3D printing materials and is far stronger and more impact resistant than any other Polymaker material. “Polycarbonate has properties that make it very desirable for the 3D printing community as a whole, and PC-Max™ makes it even better for creative designers and engineers at every stage of the production process” added Dr. Luo. PC-Max is also easier to 3D print than PC-Plus, which was 3D printed at 300°C – 320°C. In contrast, PC-Max can be 3D printed at a moderate 250°C – 270°C.
But most importantly, PC-Max is extremely strong, and brings all those mechanical properties to desktop 3D printing. According to Polymaker, all tests showed that parts made with PC-Max performed much better than other PC components in numerous deformation modes. While high heat filaments can be plagued by warping, Polymaker has also reduced the likelihood of that happening by minimizing the filament’s residual stress. What’s more, the filament can be easily sanded, coated and exposed to other post-print processing techniques. PC-Max can also withstand temperatures of well over 110°C, is flame retardant and resistant to chemicals and solvents – perfect for engineering environments. If you’re interested, the filament becomes available in the Polymaker website this month, and will cost $39.99 per reel.
As it happens, the busy Polymaker team has also just expanded their PolyPlus™ and PolyMax™ filament range with three new colors: True Green, True Grey and true Purple. This brings the complete numbers up to 11 true colors and 4 translucent options for PolyPlus, and 10 true colors for PolyMax. The deep green and purple options should provide a perfect aesthetic effect, while the True Grey option will be very appealing to the busy engineering user.
Posted in 3D Printing Materials
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