Center of excellence | FDM-Machines and Materials TOP FAQ












The majority of today's consumer products – and many commercial ones – are composed of thermoplastics. When designing a new product, engineers can best predict its end performance by prototyping with material as similar to the final product as possible. That's why 3D printing with thermoplastics is so widely practiced. Engineers have the option of making parts with the most commonly used thermoplastics, such as ABS, polycarbonate, a variety of blends, as well as engineered thermoplastics for aerospace, medical, automotive, electronic, and other specialty applications.

When using 3D printing for the production of finished goods, using thermoplastic is all the more important, and it may be the only choice for many applications.

The Stratasys FDMR process uses industrial-grade thermoplastics including some high-performance engineered materials. These thermoplastics are made from the same raw stock as injection molding materials.

They're well-suited for applications ranging from concept modeling through product development and manufacturing. Similar to molded parts, there are a variety of material options, each with unique characteristics designed to meet the application needs.



FDM Machines Installed in COE





FDM Raw Materials


ASA (Acrylonitrile styrene acrylate)

An excellent general-purpose thermoplastic is ASA (acrylonitrile styrene acrylate).
ASA has improved mechanical properties versus ABS, and one important distinction: UV stability. ASA builds UV-stable parts that won't degrade with prolonged exposure to sunlight, plus it offers some of the best aesthetics of any FDM thermoplastic.
Easy to use and reliable, ASA is ideal for automotive parts, sporting goods, outdoor functional prototyping, and end-use parts for outdoor infrastructure and commercial use, like electrical housings. ASA's excellent mechanical properties and aesthetics are also great for general-purpose prototyping.
It also offers 10 color choices, more than any other FDM.


ABS-M30

The ABS-M30TM plastic formulation is the plastic commonly used in the FDM process and is specific to the FortusTM line of production 3D printers.
In raw filament form, these are identical materials with equal mechanical properties. However, as you review the datasheets for ABSplus. and ABS-M30, you may be surprised to see a difference in finished part material properties.
The surface finish of ABSplus and ABS-M30 parts is more than adequate for concept modeling, functional prototyping, and creating manufacturing tools.


ABS-ESD7

ABS-ESD7TM is Stratasy's electrostatic dissipative material available for FDM.
This material prevents a buildup of static electricity, so it's ideal for applications where a static charge can damage products, impair the performance, or cause an explosion.
For these reasons, ABS-ESD7 is well-suited for carriers and organizers for electrical components, fixtures for electronic component assembly, and production line and conveyor parts.
Other applications include product design and validation for electronic product enclosures, electronics packaging materials and powder or mist conveying or dispensing.
ABS-ESD7 also eliminates another common static electricity problem: the attraction and buildup of particulate, such as dust or powders, which can degrade product performance. ABS-ESD7 also avoids attracting atomized liquid so it's beneficial for medicine inhalers that must deliver the entire drug dose to the patient and not leave mist clinging to the inhaler's internal surfaces. All mechanical properties of ABS-ESD7 are within five percent of the ratings for ABS-M30.


PC-ABS

There's a good reason for the blend of polycarbonate and ABS. It gives the most desirable properties of both PC and ABS materials.
It has the superior mechanical properties and heat resistance of PC, including one of the highest impact strength ratings of all the FDM materials.
Meanwhile, it has good flexural strength, feature definition, and surface appeal of ABS. Like all versions of ABS for FDM, PC-ABS offers the no-touch finishing option with soluble supports.

TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane)

DM TPU is a thermoplastic polyurethane that brings the significant benefits of elastomers to FDM 3D printing. Available on the F123 Series 3D Printers, TPU 92A lets manufacturers quickly prototype elastomer parts, eliminating expensive and time-consuming casting and molding processes.
The material exhibits flexibility and stretch combined with abrasion and tear resistance, creating a whole new realm of uses that rigid plastics simply can't meet. Typical applications involve prototyping of flexible hoses, air ducts and seals, protection covers, and vibration dampeners.
These use cases have broad application across many industries and are of particular interest in the transportation industry. TPU 92A lets engineers and designers easily and quickly produce large, complex, accurate elastomer parts. Stratasys proprietary soluble support material makes it possible to create tubes, ducts and intricate designs because the support material is easily dissolved in a hands-free solution.


DIRAN

DiranTM 410MFO7 is a nylon-based engineering thermoplastic with 7% mineral fill by weight.
It demonstrates exceptional toughness and impact strength, and has a smooth lubricious surface that offers low sliding resistance.
Particularly effective for applications requiring a non-marring interface between the tool and the workpiece, Diran 410MFO7 is well suited for jigs, fixtures and other general manufacturing aids.

ABSM301

Medical, pharmaceutical and food handling equipment have stringent regulations to protect consumers from illness and disease. Regulations include standards such as ISO 10993 and USP Class VI, which classify a material as biocompatible.
ABS-M30iTM meets these criteria so it can be used for products that come in contact with skin, food and medications.
ABS-M30i blends strength with sterilization capability – another criterion for products that come in contact with our bodies and the things we ingest. ABS-M30i can be sterilized using either gamma radiation or ethylene oxide (Eta) sterilization methods.

PC (Polycarbonate)

PC is available on all Fortus 3D printers, and when parts come off these machines, they are accurate, stable and very durable. PC has excellent mechanical properties and heat resistance.
It has the second highest tensile strength of all FDM materials and a high heat deflection temperature of 280 °F (138 °C).
This is a serious material for tough applications: functional testing, tooling or production. Widely used in automotive, aerospoace and medical, PC's high tensile and flexural strength make it ideal for demanding prototyping needs, tooling and fixtures, and patterns for metal bending and composite work.
Parts 3D printed in PC are tough and heat resistant, ideal for conceptual modeling, functional prototyping, manufacturing tools and production parts.

Nylon 12

FDM Nylon 12 is the first material in Stratasy's new family of nylon offerings.
Nylon 12 complements the current portfolio of FDM materials and enables new applications requiring repetitive snap fits, high fatigue resistance, strong chemical resistance and press (friction) fit inserts.
Primarily used in aerospace, automotive and consumer goods industries, nylon 12 offers unparalleled toughness and a simple, clean process that's free of powders.
FDM Nylon 12 parts exhibit 100 to 300 percent better elongation at break and superior fatigue resistance over any other additive manufacturing technology.

PLA

PLA works well at high speeds, specifically fast-draft mode on the Stratasys F123 Series.
Get quick concept verification and design development while keeping material expenses down.
Available in transparent colors, use PLA to 3D print see through prototypes such as taillights and blinkers. PLA offers good tensile strength, high stiffness, a low melting point and low HDT, which means less heat and power are required to print.