Polycarbonate razor handle with SR-100 soluble supports. Source: Stratasys, Inc.
Stratasys says it will expand its WaterWorks soluble support material to include polycarbonate build material for Fortus 3D Production Systems. Previously, soluble support material was available exclusively for the company's ABS-based material formulations.
SR-100 allows automated, hands-free support removal for polycarbonate (PC-10) objects. According to the company, it also enables a finer layer thickness of 0.005 inch.
"The soluble material is more efficient to remove than the old break-away supports, so we're now using polycarbonate regularly," said Brian Levy, design engineer for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), an SR-100 beta site. Previously JGR used PC-ABS because it was the strongest material that could be coupled with soluble supports.
Levy says he likes the superior mechanical properties of polycarbonate and cites a polycarbonate filter component they now make regularly with SR-100 soluble supports.
SR-100 soluble support material will be available for the Fortus 360mc, Fortus 400mc, Fortus 900mc, Fortus eV and Fortus eT systems. It is expected to ship in Q1 2012.