Is your 3D printer compatible with advanced materials?

The world of 3D printing is constantly advancing and there are more and more materials on the market. Thanks to the uninterrupted development of this technology, it has born a new and advanced category of materials and 3D printers.

Advanced materials are those that present the best and greatest technical properties, which are increasingly demanded by all the field of industry and many other sectors, such as medicine. Within this category are materials of a single composition (PEI Ultem 1010, PEKK, ABS ESD) and other materials alloyed with some type of fiber (PEI CF, PEKK CF, XSTRAND GF30-PP, XSTRAND GF30-PA6, PETG CF, PETG AF, ABS CF or ABS CAF) or each other (PC/PTFE). Among the advanced materials include the materials belonging to the PAEK family (PEI Ultem 1010, PEKK and PEEK) and the XSTRAND GF30-PA6 and XSTRAND GF30-PP.

Before starting with the characteristics that a 3D printer must have to print advanced materials we must make a classification: On the one hand the materials of the PAEK family and on the other the rest of materials. Next, we explain the reason for this separation and the characteristics necessary to use them.

Materials of the PAEK family

The materials that belong to this family are semicrystalline plastics that resist high temperatures (close to 200 ºC) maintaining high values of mechanical resistance and fireproofing. All this affects the time to print these materials, since you need advanced 3d printers and personnel with a great knowledge on the subject. The PEI (Ultem 1010), PEKK and PEEK are printed at almost 400 °C extruder, at 150 °C base and with a heating chamber at 80 °C. Apart from these temperature values, a series of filters are needed for the gases that are released during 3D printing. For all the above, these materials are used, as a rule, by large companies worldwide, such as Airbus, which have the technology and demand for parts with the characteristics of the PAEK family materials. If you want to know more about the materials of the PAEK family you can read our article "PAEK filaments in 3D printing".

Materials that do not belong to the PAEK family

To use the rest of advanced materials the temperature values are not so high, even many can be used by 3D printers and users accustomed to using ABS, ASA and nylons. For many of these materials the extrusion temperature does not exceed 250-270 °C or 80-110 °C, values that are achieved by many current 3D printers without problems, such as the BCN Sigma, the BCN Sigmax or the Raise3D Pro2. If your 3D printer does not reach this extrusion temperature it is possible to increase its potential thanks to the Kit PT100, thus reaching 400 ºC. Once this is clear, the elimination of any current of air with a closed case 3D printer is key to obtain a good result and avoid problems of warping, cracking or directly that the piece does not adhere to the base. Continuing with this theme, the adhesion to the base can be improved both with single-use adhesive products (3DLac, DimaFix, Magigoo, etc) and with permanent elements that even help to separate the piece once printing is finished (BluidTak FlexPlate).

As always we recommend using quality 3D printers, with certificates that certify the correct functioning and that pass quality and safety controls (CE certificate). For example, the 3NTR A4 would be an ideal 3D printer for printing the advanced materials of the PAEK family (PEI, PEKK and PEEK) and the BCN Sigma, the BNC Sigmax or the Raise3D Pro2 for the rest of the advanced materials. For users who do not know what 3D printer they should buy based on their use, we recommend you read our article "What 3D printer buy?".