Nozzles for Gearbox HT2 and Stratasys Fortus

3DXtech is a famous American manufacturer of technical 3D printers, filaments and printer components. The high temperature hardened steel build tip (nozzle) by 3DXTech is compatible with their Gearbox HT2 ultra polymer 3D printer as well as the high performance Stratasys Fortus 3D printer series. The build tips (nozzles) come in 8 different options, depending on the tip size and material compatibility with the Stratasys filaments: T10, T12, T14, T16, T20, T20C, T12SR30 and T12SR100. A compatibility chart can be found in the Downloads section.

Bild 1: Die gebauten Spitzen auf dem Gearbox HT2 3D-Drucker. Quelle: 3DXtech.

The tips (nozzles) are manufactured in the USA using Swiss lathe precision. This manufacturing method is crucial to the final result because in Swiss lathe precision machining the part moves and the lathe remains still (as opposed to traditional precision machining), which helps achieve complex geometries and intricate details with greater efficiency and effectiveness, especially on small workpieces such as a build tip (nozzle).

Image 2: The Gearbox HT2 and Stratasys Fortus 450mc 3D printers. Source: 3DXtech.

The 3DXTech build tips (nozzles) are characterized by excellent durability because they are made using D2 hardened tool steel. It is an air hardening tool steel with high carbon and high chromium contents. Thanks to large volumes of carbides in the microstructure, D2 steel is very resistant to wear, abrasion and heat. In that respect, this build tip (nozzle) is much more resistant to wear than the standard Stratasys build tips and capable of providing an excellent final result with fiber reinforced filaments.

Image 3: A part 3D printed with the 3DXTech high temperature hardened steel nozzle. Source: 3DXTech.

The 3DXTech high temperature hardened steel build tip is suitable for industrial 3D printing at temperatures of up to 500 ºC, especially with carbon fiber and glass fiber reinforced filaments from the CarbonX line of filaments by 3DXTech and third party materials (only proper materials in the case of Stratasys Fortus printers). This means a wide range of polymers can be used with this build tip (nozzle), including demanding engineering and advanced filaments with specialistic properties (ESD-safety, flame retardancy) such as PEEK, PEKK, Ultem, PPA, PP and PC, as well as PA12 and PA6 and ABS.

The hardened steel 3DXTech nozzle offers excellent surface quality with the most advanced polymers on the market. The Gearbox HT2 and Stratasys Fortus 3D printer users can enjoy high temperature industrial 3D printing even with abrasive materials thanks to the excellent durability and high quality of the 3DXTech nozzle.