Additive Manufacturing Supplies & Functions

Additive manufacturing continues to develop–and thrive as an trade acknowledged for groundbreaking expertise and progressive merchandise. Anticipated to develop at a compound annual progress price of 20.8% from 2022 to 2030, shipments of 3D printed merchandise are projected to succeed in 21.5 million models by the tip of that point interval.

Whereas prototyping has led the market, accounting for over half of 3D printing world income in 2021, analysis reveals that the “practical elements section is predicted to develop at a big CAGR of 21.4% from 2022 to 2030.” Additive manufacturing with steel supplies is predicted to proceed trending, and projected to develop extra extensively than every other section.

Whether or not you’re creating signature items or designing high-performance elements, the important thing to success is aligning the right additive manufacturing supplies together with your design and software. Shapeways makes this straightforward with 3D printability evaluation, accessible as quickly as you add a 3D mannequin. Getting ready forward of time and changing into educated on supplies and expertise, nonetheless, could make the design and manufacturing course of simpler.

Following is details about fashionable additive manufacturing supplies from Shapeways, together with details about corresponding expertise, accessible colours, and finishes.

Steel Additive Manufacturing Supplies

Steel 3D printing continues to be one of many hottest tendencies, permitting for terribly robust elements which might be additionally light-weight. Steel supplies are in excessive demand for additive manufacturing purposes like automotive, aerospace, and drone expertise. At Shapeways, the jewellery sector continues to flourish by way of Wax Casting with valuable metals too, accompanied by 3D printed molds.

A big proportion of steel powders could be recycled, lending sustainability to additive manufacturing for steel in addition to the trade total. For supplies like Stainless Metal 316L, 3D printed with Binder Jetting, steel elements make up solely seven to 10 p.c of most builds, permitting for all of the remaining steel 3D printing powder to be sifted and reintroduced with virgin powder.

Shapeways affords quite a lot of steel additive manufacturing supplies, to incorporate:

• Aluminum – Really useful for additive manufacturing purposes that require power, a light-weight nature, and excessive precision, Shapeways 3D prints Aluminum elements with Selective Laser Melting. SLM 3D printing is thought for the flexibility to create extremely custom-made, subtle elements with intricate particulars. Shapeways clients depend on Aluminum for stiffness, accuracy, and excessive thermal conductivity for making practical elements and instruments.

• Gold, Platinum, Silver and different valuable metals – Shapeways affords quite a lot of merchandise in valuable metals by way of Misplaced Wax Casting. Molds are 3D printed for steel casting with top quality supplies for purposes like jewellery. Supplies like Copper are highlighted for different merchandise like marine equipment, mechanical gadgets like warmth exchanges, dwelling decor, and prototypes.

• Stainless Metal 316L – A single steel alloy, Stainless Metal 316L consists of 100% Stainless Metal. Really useful for industrial merchandise like mechanical equipment or surgical tooling, this steel additive manufacturing materials is immune to corrosion in addition to excessive temperatures. Stainless Metal 316L is 3D printed with Binder Jetting expertise, identified for pace, and accuracy and repeatability in steel elements.

• Stainless Metal 17-4 PH – Additionally 3D printed with Binder Jetting, Stainless Metal 17-4 PH yields extremely sturdy elements with wonderful decision and powerful materials properties. This steel additive manufacturing materials is advisable for mechanical purposes, medical purposes requiring gadgets like surgical tooling, exchangers, fasteners, and extra.

• Metal – This steel materials consists of 40% bronze and 60% metal, with colour ranges from silver grey to reddish bronze. Metal is a powerful materials, advisable for small and enormous shopper merchandise. This materials can also be 3D printed with Binder Jetting expertise.

Nylon Thermoplastics for Additive Manufacturing

Whereas 3D printing permits designers and engineers to discover numerous new avenues for creating and customizing elements, additive manufacturing supplies like thermoplastics present the required power, flexibility, and flexibility. Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] serves as an exemplary materials for a variety of elements. This materials affords excessive ductility, permitting for nice flexibility for thinner constructions, and vital rigidity for thicker elements. 

Obtainable finishes:

• Pure
• Processed
• Premium
• Easy

Colours: Versatile Plastic is of course white. Shapeways additionally affords Black, Pink, Purple, Orange, Yellow, Inexperienced, Blue, and Purple.

Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] is 3D printed by way of Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), often known as one of the vital highly effective additive manufacturing applied sciences. The common construct measurement of an SLS 3D printer is round 300 x 300 x 300 mm, permitting for large-scale elements. SLS 3D printing affords expanded design freedom too as assist constructions should not required. Typical purposes for this materials and expertise embody:

• Structure
• Aerospace and drones
• Jewellery
• Mechanical and interlocking elements
• Medical fashions
• Robotics

Different fashionable 3D printing thermoplastics:

• MJF Plastic PA12 – 3D printed with Multi Jet Fusion expertise, MJF PA12 is a heat-resistant thermoplastic used for elements requiring excessive dimensional accuracy and finely tuned mechanical properties. This additive manufacturing materials is accessible in grey and black, with a selection of pure or clean finishes.
• Nylon 11 [PA11(SLS)] – 3D printed by way of SLS, this materials is exclusive as a result of it’s derived from castor oil. Nylon 11 is eco-friendly and simply recycled. This materials is fashionable for 3D printing because of good impact- and chemical-resistance, excessive elasticity, and excessive elongation at break. Nylon 11 [PA11(SLS)] is accessible in normal white.
• Polypropylene (PP) – 3D printed with each SLS and MJF 3D printing, Polypropylene affords nice tensile power, biocompatibility, and resistance to each moisture and chemical substances. This materials is accessible in an off-white end with SLS 3D printing, and a pure grey end with MJF expertise.
• Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) – Often known as Addigy® P3001, this materials can also be extraordinarily versatile, presenting wonderful mechanical properties like good ductility and excessive elongation at break. Widespread with producers because of flexibility for interlocking and industrial elements, Addigy P3001 is 3D printed with SLS 3D printing. This thermoplastic 3D printing materials is accessible in black or white with choices for pure or clean shiny finishes.
• Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) – 3D printed with each SLS and MJF 3D printing, this materials consists of each thermoplastics and rubber, offering superior tensile power, elongation at break, wonderful load-bearing capability, and resistance. TPU is accessible in an ordinary end when 3D printed with SLS, and each grey and black with choices for pure or clean finishes with MJF expertise.

Full Shade Supplies

Shade has develop into essential for a lot of 3D printing tasks, from photorealistic architectural or medical fashions to vibrant tabletop gaming characters. Shade in 3D printing can also be useful for delineating elements like sensors in electronics. Whereas it’s attainable to dye Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] elements in 9 totally different colours, Shapeways additionally affords the next for 3D printing with colour:

Excessive Definition Full Shade – That includes colour choices in ten million hues, this 3D printing materials is advisable for tasks with necessities for actual colour matches. Previsualization of 3D printed fashions is less complicated, together with the flexibility so as to add wealthy element, shading, and distinction. Excessive Definition Full Shade is 3D printed by way of Materials Jetting. This expertise depends on eight tiny piezoelectric printheads to put resin droplets on the construct plate. Every layer is cured by UV gentle till the construction is full, leading to distinctive, intricate elements. Components can be found in normal and matte finishes.

Nylon 12 in Full Shade with Multi Jet Fusion – Nylon 12 Full Shade (MJF) permits for improved aesthetics, in addition to larger power because of the capability to soak up thermal power so deeply. This 3D printing materials gives excellence in mechanical properties, good dimensional stability, and resistance to grease, grease, and different chemical substances. 3D printed with Multi Jet Fusion, Nylon 12 Full Shade elements can be found in pure and clean finishes.

Resin-Primarily based Additive Manufacturing Supplies

Shapeways affords a collection of acrylates identified for accuracy and precision in smaller elements, good floor end, and watertight properties. 3D printed with Stereolithography (SLA) for merchandise like advanced grasp patterns for molds, 3D printed fashions, and industrial elements, Shapeways affords the next Accura® SLA Supplies:

• Accura 60 is a translucent, acrylate-based plastic suited to difficult practical assemblies that require transparency. Obtainable in a semi-clear end, this additive manufacturing materials affords wonderful readability and excessive rigidity.
• Accura Xtreme™ is a grey acrylate providing good influence resistance, and is advisable for 3D printing advanced, practical elements. This materials is accessible in an ordinary end solely,
• Accura Xtreme™ 200 is a white acrylate, set aside by ultra-tough mechanical properties, and identified for resisting breakage. This materials is accessible in an ordinary end solely.

About Shapeways

Get pleasure from the advantages of this superior expertise and a variety of supplies from Shapeways for 3D printing your creations with accuracy, advanced element, and no minimal or limits when it comes to mass customization or single half orders. Shapeways has labored with over 1 million clients in 160 nations to 3D print over 21 million elements! Examine case research, discover out extra about Shapeways additive manufacturing options, and get instantaneous quotes right here.