May 24, 2017 | By David

One of the more tricky parts of the 3D printing process is the use of supports. Complex shapes can’t always be 3D printed on their own, and therefore require the addition of support structures which can then be removed after the object is printed. The removal of supports can be difficult, time-consuming, and hazardous due to the chiselling or chemical bathing it requires. The latest product from 3DFuel, a filament that is completely soluble in water and therefore incredibly easy to remove, could make support problems a thing of the past.

Known as Hydro-Support, the material is available now from the website of 3DFuel, a brand that was created back in 2016 in collaboration between filament manufacturers 3Dom USA, 3Dom Europe, and 3D-Fuel. All 3DFuel’s products are manufactured in its own facilities, one of which is located in Fargo, North Dakota and the other in Moville, Ireland. Quality is further assured by extensive testing, which is done using a variety of different 3D printers. MakerBot, LulzBot, and FlashForge are all used, and many more besides, in order to create the best possible materials for customers regardless of which machine they happen to be using.

Although there are already several 3D printer filaments on the market that can be fully dissolved in water (and so perform a similar function to Hydro-Support), 3DFuel claims that its product is the easiest one to work with so far. PVA, for example, is often used to build support structures, but its high water retention can make print jobs more difficult. It also tends to be an expensive material to source.

A finished 3D print made with Hydro-Support will have a high tensile strength, and its material properties will be close to PLA, one of the most commonly used FDM filaments. It can then be used to support large overhangs or cavities in objects during the printing process, as well as 3D prints with elaborate inner geometry, or core molds for objects made using different methods. Simply throw the project in some water and Hydro-Support can be worked off gently by hand after a couple of hours, or even quicker if a heated water tank is used. Alternatively, the material will completely dissolve on its own in under 24 hours.

Hydro-Support will ship in a vacuum-sealed container to keep out moisture, and 3DFuel recommends continuing to store any unused filament in a sealed container with desiccant in order to prevent any possible damage from moisture or humidity. Each reel holds 500 g (1.1lbs) of material, and customers will have a choice of diameter depending on their specific needs. The filament is available with a diameter of 1.75 mm or 2.85 mm, and these are carefully measured with a multi-axis laser measurement system. This will prevent any of the problems that can affect FDM or FFF 3D printers when varying diameters of filament are used in them.

A quality soluble filament is something that the 3D printing world would benefit greatly from, particularly when considering the environmental impact of the technology. Getting perfect results for complex 3D printed shapes requires effective support removal, and being able to achieve this without having to wash toxic chemicals down the drain would be ideal. At $64.99 per reel, Hydro-Support isn’t much more competitive price-wise than other soluble filaments on the market, but if it does boast an improvement in printability over PVA then 3DFuel’s product is definitely a step in the right direction.

 

 

Posted in 3D Printing Materials

 

 

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