Mar 7, 2017 | By Tess
3D printing solutions company Stratasys Ltd. has introduced two new advanced materials for 3D printing: FDM Nylon 12CF, a strong, carbon-fiber reinforced thermoplastic, and Agilus30, a line of durable, flexible, and tear-resistant materials for PolyJet 3D printing. The materials are the newest additions to Stratasys’ ever-growing 3D printing materials portfolio.
The first material, FDM Nylon 12CF, is said to possess the best stiffness-to-weight ratio out of all of Stratasys’ FDM thermoplastic materials. Composed of 35% chopped carbon fiber (by weight), the 3D printing material is expected to replace metal for a number of different applications, such as rapid prototyping, as well as for making strong and lightweight tooling and end-use parts. FDM Nylon 12CF has the potential to be used in the automotive, aerospace, commercial, and industrial manufacturing industries.
Stratasys has laid out a few cases in which its new FDM material could be of use. These include rapidly producing strong, lightweight parts for functional prototyping; producing manufacturing aids, like jigs and fixtures, with high strength and stiffness but low weight; and manufacturing low-volume, high-strength production parts with unique structural requirements.
Tim Schniepp, Head of Tooling Solutions for Stratasys, said: “The very high stiffness-to-weight ratio of the FDM Nylon 12CF material makes it extremely well suited for a wide range of final part and manufacturing tooling applications where the combination of stiffness, strength and low weight is critical to the performance. Examples include drill guides, end- of- arm tooling, brackets, jigs, fixtures, and even metal forming tools.”
Manufacturing tooling and production parts made from FDM Nylon 12CF
Stratasys says its new carbon fiber material will begin shipping as of Q2 2017. FDM Nylon 12CF is compatible with the Stratasys Fortus 450mc Production 3D printer and works with soluble support material SR-110.
The Agilus30 material series, for its part, was developed for PolyJet 3D printing. Consisting of Agilus30 and Agilus30 Black, the new material family offers users a flexible, rubber-like material, ideal for modeling delicate parts. According to Stratasys, “The materials enable greater freedom to handle and test flexible parts and prototypes while delivering superior accuracy, fine details, and enhanced product realism.”
Flexible tubing prototype for medical application made from Agilus30
Agilus30 could be used to produce such things as over-molding, soft-touch and living hinges, hoses, seals and gaskets, knobs, grips, pulls, and handles. Additionally, users have the option of combining Agilus30 with other materials to achieve materials with different Shore A values and different colors.
As for compatibility, Agilus30 can be used with Stratasys’ Objet260/350/500 Connex1/2/3 3D Printing platforms. It is currently shipping.
Posted in 3D Printing Materials
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