New print media materials were recently announced by Stratasys for use in their FDM 360mc and FDM 400mc 3D printers. Both PC and PC-ABS are available for the 360mc, while the 400mc may now use ABSi and PC-ISO. According to the press release:
PC is particularly useful for design or manufacturing engineers in the automotive, aerospace and medical industries. The PC material is available in 0.007, 0.010, and 0.013 inch slice thicknesses (0.178 mm, 0.254 mm, and 0.330 mm).
PC-ABS is one of the most widely used industrial thermoplastics and is commonly used in automotive, electronics and telecommunications applications. The addition of the material for the FDM 360mc machine provides users with the strength and heat-resistance characteristics of PC, while adding the increased flexibility of ABS. PC-ABS is available in 0.005, 0.007, 0.010, and 0.013 inch slice thickness options ( 0.127 mm, 0.178 mm, 0.254 mm, and 0.330 mm).
The addition of PC-ISO to the FDM 400mc offers users a tough polycarbonate material that can be sterilised for medical device or food and pharmaceutical handling equipment applications. It has high impact and flexural strength and can handle high temperatures. PC-ISO is available in 0.007, 0.010, and 0.013 inch slice thicknesses (0.178 mm, 0.254 mm, and 0.330 mm).
Adding ABSi as an option for the FDM 400mc will offer users a strong material that is translucent, which is helpful in applications such as automotive lighting. The material is also beneficial in applications that require monitoring of liquid or particle flow. ABSi comes in clear, red and amber and can be built with 0.005, 0.007, 0.010, and 0.013 inch slice thicknesses (0.127 mm, 0.178 mm, 0.254 mm, and 0.330 mm).
We believe these new materials will provide new opportunities for designers and manufacturers to print objects that can be used in more situations than ever before. Previously, and still the case in large part, printed objects were not structurally or thermally suitable for some applications. This announcement takes another step towards removing those barriers to use.
Via WebItPR
