Jan 24, 2017 | By Benedict
3devo, a Netherlands-based developer of 3D printer extrusion systems, has undertaken a research project into turning PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone) into 3D printable filament. The company found extruding PEEK granulate to be significantly cheaper than buying a spool of readymade PEEK filament.
3devo used granulated PEEK to make its 3D printing filament
Since creating the Next 1.0 Advanced Level desktop filament extruder, Dutch 3D printing specialist 3devo has been exploring new ways to maximize the usefulness of its intelligent, versatile machine. Capable of extruding a huge range of 3D printable materials such as ABS, PLA, PEEK, PEI, PVA, PC, PPS, POM, and PA 12, the Next 1.0 gives users “precise extrusion control over experimental materials.” However, to optimize extrusion performance, 3devo continues to carry out extensive research into the behavior and subsequent printability of individual materials. The latest material to come under the 3devo microscope is PEEK, an organic thermoplastic polymer that maintains excellent mechanical properties even at high temperatures.
Being strong, light, and resistant to high temperatures, PEEK has understandably been touted as a suitable material for applications in a range of industries, from aerospace to automotive to medicine. However, using the material in additive manufacturing is a relatively new area of study, and many 3D printers and extrusion systems are not built to process the polymer. The high-temperature Next 1.0, however, is capable of extruding the robust plastic, and 3Devo therefore wanted to conduct a thorough study into extruding and 3D printing with it.
“Working with PEEK has presented interesting challenges, chief among which involved extruding it in the correct temperature range while factoring in internal pressure, and without affecting the material’s crystallinity,” explains Lisette van Gent, Sales & Marketing Manager at 3devo. “It has been a good start, and our first trials turned out to be easier than expected.”
The 3devo Next 1.0 extruder
When loading up the Next 1.0 extruder with PEEK for the first time, the 3devo team had one important task to enact immediately: setting the extruder to a much, much higher temperature than usual. With a melting point of 343 degrees Celsius, PEEK is an incredibly useful material for machinery and objects that will subjected to high levels of heat, such as car parts. However, that high resistance to heat also means it takes a lot of juice to actually melt the material down for 3D printing. PLA, by comparison, melts at a relatively breezy 173 to 178 degrees.
“We went about [extruding PEEK] in phases, using two cleaning compounds as transition materials,” van Gent says. “First, we slowly raised the temperature from 170 to 300 degrees with the first transition material. Once temperatures had crossed 300 degrees, we switched to the second transition material, and worked on reaching 390 degrees. This was the final stage in our trial, where we could proceed to extrude PEEK.”
Transition or cleaning materials are required when processing a high-temperature material in machinery that is otherwise used to process low-temperature materials. In the absence of a suitable transition material with cleaning properties, the extruded PEEK would have degraded, and subsequent PLA or other materials extruded in the Next 1.0 would have contained unwanted black specks from the PEEK. 3devo used Lusin G410 for the high temperature range, and Asaclean GL2 for the mid/low range.
Thanks to the steady flow and quick cooling properties of PEEK, the 3devo team found that they could extrude the material (at either 2.85mm or 1.75mm thickness) with relative ease. Winding the extruded material onto a spool, however, proved more difficult, with the strength of the material making it difficult to easily bend around the circular inner of the spool. The team eventually had to tape the first part of the newly extruded PEEK filament down onto the spool to keep it in place.
The extruded PEEK filament
According to 3devo, 3D printer users can use the Next 1.0 extruder to make their own PEEK filament at a much lower cost than buying the material as pre-made filament spool. “Buying PEEK granulate will only set you back by around 100 Euros per kg, as opposed to a filament spool that will cost you to the tune of 1000 Euros per spool,” van Gent notes. “In addition to this, you can try creating custom composites with PEEK granules, by adding in different materials such as carbon fiber.”
The 3devo Next 1.0 extruder, which can operate at temperatures up to 450°C, costs €3,450 ($3,700), and includes two spools, a pouch of PLA granulate, and a pouch of cleaning material, in addition to all necessary accessories.
A 3D printed part made with the PEEK filament
Posted in 3D Printing Materials
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Not to be a so-called ‘negative Nancy’, but if one is mechanically inclined, have minor electrical knowledge, can handle a trial-n-error testing phase, and isnt afraid of thermoplastics, Then one can just build a plastic extruder, that will handle PEEK, CPVC, etc. On the price scale range of $200-400. Also this assumes is you purchase all the parts new. If you have no issues cannibalizing other mechanics/electronics, you may only have to purchase a few parts. $5100 USD plus value added tax plus shipping?!? If it only saves me $30 by producing filament spools versus purchasing it, then it will take 170 spools of filament just to break even. Heck, i have a hard time using even 52-1KG spools per year...
TKR wrote at 1/27/2017 6:30:31 PM:
...In general building a printer IS cheaper than purchasing one-I dont understand your sarcasm?
Dutch wrote at 1/25/2017 7:57:50 PM:
This is the most ridiculous title to a post I have ever seen. What's next, "Building your own 3D printer is cheaper than purchasing one"?
Lisette wrote at 1/24/2017 3:48:19 PM:
NOTE: there is made a mistake in pricing. the regular is 3450 euro (this level machine can not extrude peek). The advanced level starts from 4200 euro, ex vat and can Extrude PEEK.
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