Jun 8, 2017 | By Tess
Verbatim, a subsidiary of the Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Group and a specialist in data storing and LED lighting, has just launched Butenediol Vinyl Alcohol Co-polymer (BVOH), a high-performance water-soluble support material for 3D printing.
The company, which entered the 3D printing filament market in 2014, says its new soluble support material works well with dual extrusion printers for parts that require supports and can be easily removed post-printing by being dissolved in water.
Support materials are crucial for printing increasingly complex parts, as they can allow for printers to create parts with overhangs and complicated geometries. Water-soluble support filaments, such as PVA and now BVOH, make it easier than ever for makers to remove the supports once the print is complete.
Already this year, Verbatim released a new Polypropylene (PP) 3D printing filament with good chemical, heat, and fatigue resistance, which it tested using a Leapfrog Bolt 3D printer. Its latest offer, BVOH, is said to possess reliable extrusion properties as well as a quick dissolve time, making it appealing to most makers.
Enough hearsay, though; let’s look at some cold, hard numbers. Verbatim’s new support filament reportedly extrudes at rates of up to 30 mm/s and will easily dissolve if placed in water (at a dilution rate of 20 parts water or more to one part BVOH). For best printing results with the support filament, Verbatim suggests printing at a temperature between 200°C and 230°C, and with a heated bed heated between 70°C and 80°C.
Understandably, BVOH is said to adhere well to Verbatim’s own 3D printing materials, including its PLA, PET, and ABS filaments. With the market of dual extrusion 3D printers growing (for instance, the Ultimaker 3, or MakerGear's new M3 Independent Dual 3D printer) and becoming more accessible, Verbatim is confident its water-soluble support material will prove useful to makers across the board.
“Verbatim BVOH is very reliable and prints like regular 3D printing material, meaning that more complex objects can be designed and printed at high quality,” said Shigeyuki Furomoto, Global CEO office Manager at Mitsubishi Chemical Media. “This printing performance, together with its fast dissolving speed, will help push desktop material extrusion printer usage much more into both industry and professional maker applications.”
On its European website, 1.75 mm diameter BVOH support filament is currently available, while makers will have to wait until September for the 2.85 mm option.
Check out the video below to see how BVOH compares to PVA. (Here’s a spoiler…it dissolves faster!)
Posted in 3D Printing Materials
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