3D Printing Materials

Sweden-based materials firm Gränges Powder Metallurgy has launched its very first additive manufacturing powder. Developed as part of the company’s DISPAL family of materials, AM S220 (AlSi35) is a high-performance aluminum alloy suitable for laser powder bed fusion 3D printing. The material is characterized by its high stiffness, low thermal expansion, excellent wear and tear behavior, good machinability, and low density. According to Gränges, the alloy’s properties are similar to those of steel, except it’s a third of the weight. This makes it a strong choice for performance applications in sectors such as aerospace and automotive. AM S220 aluminum alloy. Photo via Gränges Powder Metallurgy. 30 years of aluminum powder manufacturing Gränges boasts over 30 years of experience in aluminum powder manufacturing. The company actually developed and commercialized its original DISPAL S220 alloy back in the 1980s as part of a wider materials family. As such, S220 isn’t actually new,…    read more 

Swedish multinational engineering firm Sandvik has announced the development of a novel 3D printable cemented carbide.  Previously only used in manufacturing via other technologies, the material features a uniquely tough cobalt and tungsten carbide matrix structure, that lends it the durability needed to yield parts with properties suited to demanding applications.  Using an in-house developed process, Sandvik says it has now come up with a new cemented carbide powder, which can more rapidly be 3D printed into objects that last “up to 20 times longer” than those produced from other steels or alloys.  “Our powders are optimized to print components that look great, work well – and are fit for use in actual applications, demanding environments and serial production,” explains Anders Ohlsson, Lead Product Manager at Sandvik Additive Manufacturing. “It’s also well worth mentioning the ability to 3D print cemented carbide speeds up our time-to-market rather dramatically. Prototyping used to…    read more 

Continuing our series looking at the State of Resin 3D Printing, Raymond Weitekamp, polySpectra Founder and CEO gives us his insights into the wider adoption of photopolymer-based 3D printing.   3D Printing Industry: How have you seen resin-based 3D printing develop in recent years? Raymond Weitekamp: I’ve been excited to see the sheer number of new SLA/DLP/LCD printers now available in the world. As a chemist, I’ve also been really excited to see an increasing number of “open” printers – there is finally a healthy ecosystem of compatible software <> hardware <> resin. When we first started working in 3D printing, the Autodesk Ember (RIP) was the only open printer! Now, it is very clear that additive manufacturing end users are going to choose the best combination of software/hardware/chemistry for their specific applications, without the full solution stack needing to come from one company. COR Alpha Resin 3D printed. Photo via…    read more 

Industrial 3D printer manufacturers Carbon and Roboze have each launched a new additive manufacturing material for use with their respective 3D printing systems. Carbon’s new EPX 86FR offering is a photopolymer resin that combines flame retardance, functional toughness, high strength, and long-term stability. Designed for both functional prototypes and end-use parts, the resin is best suited to applications that require self-extinguishing characteristics. This includes components such as housings, brackets, and connectors for the automotive sector. On the other hand, Roboze’s latest innovation is Helios PEEK 2005 filament. The novel material is a ceramic fiber-reinforced PEEK composite boasting both high-strength and high-temperature stability. Designed specifically for high-performance metal replacement parts in critical industries such as aerospace, Helios PEEK 2005 offers a jack-of-all-trades blend of lightness, mechanical strength, and heat resistance. Flame retardant fan 3D printed using EPX 86FR. Photo via Carbon. Carbon’s EPX 86FR resin According to Carbon, the new EPX…    read more 

Metal 3D printing filament manufacturer The Virtual Foundry has released a new tungsten-based radiation shielding filament, Rapid 3DShield Tungsten. The material is the densest FFF filament the firm has manufactured to date, and is capable of providing radiation shielding benefits without the need for debinding or sintering.  Containing 92-95 percent metal, the filament is suited to medical, security, non-destructive testing, and x-ray fluorescence radiation shielding applications. The Virtual Foundry’s mission The Virtual Foundry was established with the goal of making metal 3D printing accessible to everyone, and was one of the first to bring FDM desktop metal printing to the market with its proprietary Filamet filament. When combined with FDM, Filamet produces unique prints infused with flecks of metal elements which, once they have undergone a secondary processing technique involving a kiln and the firm’s “Black Magic Powder”, produces pure metal parts.  Compatible with almost all existing FDM/FFF 3D printers,…    read more