Polyetheretherketone Thermoplastic for 3D Printing from Impossible Objects
Impossible Objects has added PEEK (polyetheretherketone), one of the highest performance thermoplastics available, to its 3D printing offering marking the first time that geometrically complex, strong and light carbon fiber composites using PEEK can be 3D printed.
Since PEEK offers outstanding heat and chemical resistance in addition to greater strength, the combination of PEEK and carbon fiber produces parts with properties that previously were unattainable.
CBAM PEEK parts perform more than 30 percent better than standard CBAM parts with tensile strength of 205 MPa (29,700 psi) and heat resistance of 250° C (482° F). Customers can now enjoy the complex geometries, speed, strength-to-weight ratios and cost advantages of carbon fiber 3D printing with the durability and resistance to high temperature typically found in metals. These new parts hold the ability to revolutionize manufacturing in the aerospace, medical, automotive and machine tooling industries.
PEEK parts printed with Impossible Objects' process have considerable advantages over parts made of machined aluminum and other traditional and 3D printed plastics:
PEEK parts made with Impossible Objects' 3D printing process are more than 50 percent lighter than comparable aluminum parts but demonstrated two-thirds ultimate strength, at 205 MPa versus 310 MPa for Aluminum 6061-T6.
PEEK polymers can be recycled with Impossible Objects' new 3D printing process, overcoming significant issues around expense, waste, and inefficiency associated with PEEK polymers in traditional manufacturing and 3D printed manufacturing. Eliminating PEEK wastage in Impossible Objects' process enables substantially lower cost 3D printed parts.
The Impossible Objects composite-based additive manufacturing process (CBAM) is the first truly new 3D printing process in more than 20 years.
Conventional thermal inkjet heads are used to "print" designs on sheets of composites, like carbon fiber, Kevlar or fiberglass. Each sheet is then flooded with a polymer powder, such as nylon or PEEK, causing the powder to stick where inkjet fluid has been deposited on the sheets. Excess powder is vacuumed off and the sheets are stacked, compressed and heated. The polymer powder melts and bonds the sheets together.
The uncoated fibers are then mechanically or chemically removed, and what remains is an exceptionally durable, lightweight object that was previously impossible to make so quickly and inexpensively.
The process yields geometrically complex parts with the strength-to-weight ratio of metals that are ideal for use cases where having light parts without sacrificing strength is critical, including aerospace, aviation, defense, oilfield services, automotive, and performance athletics.
The parts can be up to 10 times stronger at production speeds scalable to 100 times faster, using a wider range of materials, including carbon fiber, Kevlar and fiberglass.
CBAM parts also have air- and water-tight features.
For more information, visit www.impossible-objects.com.
TK1501 and TK10501 Insert Grades from Seco Tools
Seco’s new TK1501 and TK0501 insert grades incorporate the latest developments in next-generation Duratomic coating technology. The new dedicated cast iron turning grades reach a new level of toughness and wear resistance, reduce tool waste and process more parts per edge.
With the latest Duratomic coating technology, these new grades have a wider application range and an overall increase in tool life and productivity.
Seco’s exclusive Duratomic process manipulates aluminum and oxygen at the atomic level to create insert coatings with greater toughness and abrasion resistance. Their balance of toughness and hardness meets the highest performance demands consistently and reliably.
Chrome Used-Edge Detection makes it easy to tell if an insert’s cutting edges have made contact with a workpiece. The inserts are optimized to provide the highest possible contrast to make it easy to instantly identify when an edge has been used, even in low-light environments. TK1501 and TK0501 grades’ Chrome Used-Edge Detection contributes to a potential 30 percent decrease in waste due to prematurely discarded inserts.
The inserts’ ability to increase productivity through higher speeds and feed rates reduces lead times as well as run-in and setup times. This results in a decreased chance of encountering production bottle necks on a shop’s turning machines.
The new grades are available in a comprehensive selection of geometries—from roughing to finishing—to give you a desirable surface finish in any application.
For more information, visit www.secotools.com.
New Nylon Additive for Scratch and Mar Resistance from TenasiTech
TenasiTech recently announced the launch of nylon additive, SOLID-TT, for greatly improved resistance to scratch and mar damage.
Injection molders and sheet extruders seek more resilient surfaces to extend the life of their products, and maintain aesthetics for their customers. The solution to this problem has been painting or hard coating until now, but these require extra processing steps and thus increased cost of manufacture.
"We offer a great option for scuff resistant plastics in markets where hard-coating is just too costly,” said Richard Marshall, CEO of TenasiTech.
"This is true reinforcement of the polymer, and not simply a lubricant or other migrating additive. So there are no issues with surface rub-off or long-term durability. What is more, unlike hard-coating, sheets can be thermoformed with the SOLID-TT included.”
SOLID-TT added at 1 percent has delivered excellent performance, such as:
- Nylon-6: Pencil Hardness to H (up from HB without additive), and significant improvement to sandpaper wear tests.
- Nylon-12: Pencil Hardness to HB (up from 3B without additive), 45 percent higher according to the Erichsen Scratch, dramatically improved appearance after friction/wiping tests, such as Crockmaster.
- Nylon-6: 41 percent increase in strain at break, and toughness increase of 34 percent.
For more information, visit www.tenasitech.com.
FSI Style Metric Ball Screws from Thomson Industries
Thomson Industries, a manufacturer of mechanical motion control solutions, has recently announced their new, high-quality, German-engineered metric ball screws with shorter lead times.
As only two percent of all metric ball screws sold in North America are manufactured domestically, customers typically are forced to wait up to 10 weeks for metric ball screw deliveries. Thomson’s investment in domestic logistics allows orders to ship in only one to two weeks, significantly reducing downtime, lead times, costs, and accelerating customer integration. This move also offers enhanced communication with support and services and the ability to rapidly prototype designs.
FSI Style metric ball screws are ideal for applications requiring smooth motion and are DIN 69051 compliant, allowing them to be used in a wide range of laboratory, medical and mechatronic applications. These qualities, combined with the economical precision rolled solution, make them ideal for large 3-axis structures.
The high level of accuracy offered by FSI Style ball screws also allow them to be used in engraver/laser/waterjet cutting installations. These types of applications typically require P3/P5 accuracy, 75-100 percent duty cycle, harsh environments, and reversing loads or dithering issues.
FSI ball screw assemblies have molded rubber (NBR) seals in standard sizes ø16 mm and above and are ideal for these demanding parameters.
FSI Style assemblies range from 16 to 50 mm in diameter with leads from 5 to 40 mm – all with standard lead accuracies of ±23 µm / 300 mm.
For more information, visit www.thomsonlinear.com.
intRlox Mini Nut Clamping System from REGO-FIX
At IMTS, REGO-FIX will unveil new tooling technologies along with innovative next generation products in booth W-2239. The company will show its new intRlox Mini Nut slip proof clamping system.
Other featured technologies include reCool Mini, a retrofittable coolant-through system for use on Swiss-style machines, and Rigid Holders for extreme cutting applications that use powRgrip clamping systems.
For those shops in need of safer tool changeouts, the REGO-FIX intRlox Mini Nuts guarantee wrenches, once properly engaged, will not slip off the ER collet nuts.
To make it easier for those shops to exchange their existing Swiss machine tooling to this much safer system, REGO-FIX has designed new easy-to-use nut and wrench sets that will be displayed at IMTS.
Unlike standard ER collet nuts, the smaller size intRlox nuts feature a patented anti-slip design that uses rounded locking grooves situated around the nut profiles as opposed to end face surfaces. Wrenches grip from the sides of the nuts, and the action of tightening or loosening temporarily locks wrenches in place.
As a complement to its original reCool system for water-based coolants, REGO-FIX designed a new system to also work with oil coolants primarily used by Swiss-style turning machines. Like its companion system, the new reCool Mini converts existing live turret tooling with ERM mini threads to include through-coolant capabilities in as little as two minutes.
The system gets coolant to the cutting edge much more effectively than do spray pipes or nozzles, and thus easily removes heat from the cutting zone and contributes to better surface finishes, longer tool life, improved chip control and increased productivity.
Newly designed Rigid Holders are over 1.5 times more rigid than a standard configuration. The increased rigidity provides high security toolholding in high-feed rate milling and high-cutting force applications.
Higher rigidity in these holders leads to less holder deflection and improved cutting performance for demanding operations. Rigid Holders enable the use of higher feed rates for increased metal removal rates while maintaining accuracy and high-quality surface finishes. Rigid Holders are currently available only for powRgrip systems.
For more information, visit www.rego-fix.com.