News
New Materials
3D Systems has announced the release of two new production grade materials, adding to their growing
portfolio of materials suitable for end-use applications.
Both materials have been engineered for long-lasting mechanical performance and stability in any
environment making them ideal for a host of end-use applications in industries such as consumer goods,
transportation & motorsports, aerospace & defense, and service bureaus.
Figure 4 Tough Clear
Figure 4 Tough Clear is 3D Systems’ first clear material for its Figure 4 platform designed for
long-term use parts and functional prototypes. Parts produced using Figure 4 Tough Clear possess
excellent clarity that is improved with post-processing. This can be extremely valuable for applications such as fluid and gas flow to observe the inner workings of complex assemblies.
It can also enhance light transmission and reflection for lenses, light guides and lighting covers.
Additionally, this material delivers a desirable combination of customer-critical performance traits
including impact strength, tensile strength, and elongation properties which remain stable up to eight years.
Figure 4 Tough Clear is tested to eight years of indoor and one and a half years outdoor mechanical
performance per ASTM D4329 and ASTM G154 methods, ensuring that printed parts remain functional and
stable for long periods in real-world conditions.
In addition to lenses, light guides and lighting covers, this material is ideal for a variety of high
volume, small part applications such as load-bearing handles, cranks, knobs and levers; structural
brackets, snap-fits and fasteners; and consumer goods packaging.
“3D printing is the most cost-effective method to produce clear parts, and with the introduction of
Figure 4 Tough Clear, we’re giving our customers a path to reduce their time to market,” said Dr. Edwin
Hortelano, senior vice president, materials engineering & development, 3D Systems.
“Our Figure 4 platform is easy-to-use and facilitates ultra-fast production. With our new Figure 4 Tough
Clear material, customers now have a production-grade material designed for long-term stability. The
combination of our Figure 4 hardware solution, and deep materials and applications expertise allow our
customers to accelerate innovation and enable competitive advantage.”
Figure 4 Tough Clear
Long-term use
Figure 4 Tough Clear is a production-grade material engineered to offer long-term, environmental UV, humidity stability, chemical compatible, and has thermoplastic-like mechanical properties.
This material is fine-tuned for use with 3D Systems’ Figure 4 printers.
View Details
- - End-use manufacturing of high volume, small plastic parts
- - Load-bearing handles, cranks, knobs, and levers
- - Structural brackets, snap-fits, and fasteners
- - Lighting covers, cases, and reflectors
- - Lenses and light guides
- - Fast-moving consumer goods and consumer packaging
DuraForm PAx Black
DuraForm PAx Black is the latest offering in 3D Systems’ new open material portfolio for use with
selective laser sintering (SLS) printers. As with the recently announced DuraForm PAx Natural, this
material possesses properties similar to injection molded plastics and features high impact resistance
with high elongation at break in any direction.
DuraForm PAx Black is designed to be used with any commercially-available selective laser sintering
(SLS) printer, regardless of the manufacturer – facilitating ease of integration into existing
production workflows.
This material’s mechanical properties facilitate manufacturing of tough, lightweight, production-grade
parts for applications such as orthotics, tooling handles, splints, and braces, ducting in rugged
environments, living hinges, liquid reservoirs, and enclosures requiring high impact and high toughness.
DuraForm PAx Black’s properties include:
- – Low temperature printing (i.e., 120°C) facilitates efficiencies in printing and post-processing
- – Very impressive long-term stability ratings of over five years indoor for mechanical properties and
color - – Using vapor honing to post-process parts moves the elongation at yield capability past that of other
nylon materials (i.e., PA-11 and PA-12), and delivers a shiny, smooth finish nearly indistinguishable
from injection molded parts - – High reuse rates (a 30% refresh rate is recommended) helps reduce waste and decrease production costs.
DuraForm PAx Black
High elongation nylon copolymer
DuraForm PAx Natural (SLS) is a high impact, high elongation, high recyclability SLS material with properties similar to injection molded plastics for tough, lightweight, production-grade parts.
This material is fine-tuned for use with the following 3D Systems’ SLS printers: sPro 230, sPro 140, ProX SLS 6100, SLS 380
View Details
- - Durable and tough for true functional plastic parts
- - High reuse rates reduce waste and decrease production costs
- - Low temperature printing enables faster parts in hand
- - Excellent long-term stability; 5+ years indoor for mechanical properties and color
- - Vapor-honed parts have excellent translucency and smooth finish