PEI 1010 pellets

In the world of FDM/FFF 3D printing, there is a family of materials that stands out clearly above all others, the PAEK family (polyaryletherketone or polyaryletherketone ether ketone). The materials belonging to this class are semi-crystalline plastics, which withstand high temperatures (around 200 ºC) while maintaining high mechanical strength values.

The PAEK family includes PEEK, PEKK and PEI. All of them have high mechanical strength, chemical resistance and high temperature flammability.

PEI 1010 pellets are one of the materials offered by 3DXtech, a renowned North American manufacturer specialising in technical materials for professional applications. PEI 1010 is a high-performance material made from Sabic's ULTEM™ 1010 resin.

PEI is a high-performance amorphous polymer that combines excellent thermal properties, exceptional dimensional stability, inherent flame retardancy and good chemical resistance.

PEI 1010 pellets are small cylinders of the highest quality material. They do not incorporate recycled or reclaimed material. Thanks to these qualities, PEI 1010 pellets are perfect for 3D printing, achieving high print quality. There are several methods for using pellets in 3D printing:

• PEI 1010 pellets can be used in the manufacture of filament for FDM 3D printers using Filastruder or any other filament extruder.
• It is possible to use a pellet extruder to 3D print directly.

With the combination of PEI 1010 pellets and a good filament extruder such as Filastruder, it is possible to obtain 3D printing filament with qualities similar to those of a commercial PEI 1010 filament such as ThermaX™ PEI 9085.

When using PEI 1010 Pellets to make filament with a filament extruder such as Filastruder or using a pellet extruder for direct 3D printing, it should be noted that the extrusion temperature must be regulated in relation to the extrusion speed used. For optimal results, it is recommended to read the product's usage tips.

Filaments made from PEI 1010 pellets offer the possibility to create parts with excellent properties at elevated temperatures thanks to a high glass transition temperature of 217 °C. Thus, 3D printed parts made from PEI 1010 combine excellent thermal properties, exceptional dimensional stability, inherent flame resistance and good chemical resistance.

The most outstanding properties of 3DxTech PEI 1010 pellets are:

• High thermal properties. Glass transition temperature of 217 °C.
• Inherent flame resistance with low smoke evolution and low smoke toxicity.
• Long term hydrolytic stability.
• Excellent dimensional stability and highly reproducible part-to-part dimensions.
• Good resistance to a wide range of chemicals such as automotive fluids, fully halogenated hydrocarbons, alcohols and aqueous solutions.
• Stable dielectric constant and dissipation factor over a wide range of temperatures and frequencies.

Due to these properties, PEI 1010 is an ideal material for:

• Automotive and transportation applications, providing automotive manufacturers with a cost-effective, high performance, chemically resistant and thermally stable alternative to metal that is strong enough to replace steel in some applications and light enough to replace aluminium in others. For applications such as transmission components, throttle bodies, ignition components, sensors and thermostat housings, etc.
• Electrical/electronic applications, making it an excellent choice of material for today's demanding electrical applications, including connectors, MCB components such as housings, shafts and levers, hard disk drive internals, FOUP's, BiTS, PCB's, MCCB internals, Plenum devices, LCD projector internals, fuel cell components and many other applications.

This material is an advanced material that requires the use of an industrial 3D printer that reaches printing temperatures of 370-390°C and a bed temperature of 120-160°C. Due to its difficulty in printing, this material is recommended for expert users.