Jan 14, 2015 | By Alec
We’ve seen time and again that the creative potential of 3D printing is only limited by your imagination and the manufacturing strength of your 3D printer. Practically, this means that the vast majority of us are bound by the plastic extrusion systems of our desktop FDM 3D printers. But we don’t have to be limited to ABS or PLA.
While both filaments usually provide satisfactory results, there are some other excellent and definitely affordable alternatives around that offer more options to the creative 3D printing enthusiasts out there. Surprisingly many of them have been developed by German inventor and filament specialist Kai Parthy.
Among his earlier creations you can find filaments with, amongst others, LayWoo-D3 wood filament, Laybricks, ceramic qualities and even LAYFOMM: a filament that creates very solid and durable objects that gain sponge-like qualities when soaked in water. But in the coming weeks Kai will be releasing another exciting filament that will grant you another series of 3D printing applications: BENDLAY flex.
Left: Bendlay tough, right: Bendlay flex
It’s the latest edition of Kai’s BENDLAY series (the previous iteration being BENDLAY tough, which is more durable and resilient than ABS or PLA), that copies many of the qualities of its processor, while also being extremely flexible. Need proof? Just check out the YouTube clip below:
The filament’s full features are:
- near glass clear
- low water absortion (easy to store)
- printing at ~ 220° to 240°C
- thermal stable as PLA (65 – 70°C)
- best interlayer adhesion
- Soluble in brake cleaner; acetone will make BENDLAY crumble
All this makes BENDLAY a very useful filament that can be used for a variety of objects that cannot be easily created in regular filaments. Just think of thin bottles and cups (due to its watertight properties), squeezable toys for children (and dogs) and even straps, wristbands or soles for your shoes. It therefore adds a whole new dimension to your 3D printer’s potential.
Kai is currently expecting that BENDLAY-flex will be made available through all filament dealers currently offering its tough variety (which many do). He explained to us that he has already fully completed the production side of the equation. While BENDLAY-tough spools of 0.75 kilograms can usually be purchased in the €33-40 range, that could give you some indication about the price range of this new filament (although its lightweight properties mean the spool will only weigh 0.25 kg). And if your fingers are already itching, please tell your usual provider to get their hands on some of Kai’s products, as you’d be surprised at the size of their networks.
If you're interested in becoming a dealer for Kai's BENDLAY-flex or other materials such as LAYWOOD and LAYBRICK, contact him via kp@cc-products.de.
Posted in 3D Printing Materials
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The name of the company is Orbi-tech
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