For major improvements in filament melting (FF) and laser sintering (LS), Victrex PAEK polymer solutions are provided as filaments and fines, respectively.
The PEEK polymer pioneer Victrex is preparing a newly developed additive manufacturing material (AM). The first of these is a high strength material for laser sintering (LS) which achieves a lower refresh rate, thereby improving the recycling of the unsintered powder. The second is filaments with better Z strength than existing polypropylene ether ketone (PAEK) materials, as well as better printability for filament fusion (FF). Detailed technical results are expected to be announced in September 2018 at the Biennial Additive Manufacturing Conference of the University of Exeter's Additive Layer Manufacturing Center (CALM).
Victrex CEO Jakob Sigurdsson commented:
“The next generation of Victrex PAEK materials for additive manufacturing marks a decisive step forward, potentially transforming a variety of applications, including aerospace and medical. The exciting developments are based on the continued intense development of Victrex and Victrex's leadership of excellence in the pursuit of additive manufacturing companies and institutions. Through this alliance, we have seen demonstrator components that show how AM processes can be combined with high-performance materials to transform thinking, based on increased design possibilities. Create truly innovative parts."
The advantages of additive manufacturing can be deployed to reduce cost, reduce time to market, and enable the fabrication of components that are too complex using conventional methods. The existing PAEK materials on the market, although used in certain AM applications, are designed for conventional manufacturing methods such as machining and injection molding. Therefore, they have some features that are not optimal for the additive manufacturing process. The first generation of PAEK materials for laser sintering can only be recycled to a very low degree, and the printing bed needs to be almost completely refreshed with new powder, and PEEK filaments for FF have poor interlayer adhesion, resulting in Z-strength Loss.
The new polymer grade developed by Victrex has similar mechanical properties in LS and exhibits an encouraging low refresh rate (improving the recycling of unsintered powder) in terms of good mechanical properties and printability of FF.
Victrex chief scientist John Grasmeder explained:
“Breakthrough technology paves the way for the exciting future of PAEK. The recycling of powders using the new Victrex polymer grade for laser sintering is very smooth. When the test components are made from partially recycled powder, there is no Measurable performance loss. We believe that all non-sintered powders recovered after the build run can be reused. This will greatly reduce material costs compared to existing PolyArylEtherKetone materials, where up to 40% of the polymer is wasted and cannot be recycled use."
Cooperation to promote AM
Victrex is a consortium of companies and institutions, and was funded by Innovate UK, a UK innovation agency, in 2016 for intensive pioneering research and development to advance AM technology, especially high temperature, reasonably priced polymers. Composites for AM aerospace applications. Other members of the alliance include Airbus Group Innovation, EOS, University of Exeter's Additive Layer Manufacturing Center (CALM), E3D-Online, HiETA Technologies, South West Metal Finishing and 3T-RPD.
The new Victrex PAEK filaments and powders are combined with technologies developed by other members of the UK Innovate project. EOS recently unveiled a new automated manufacturing platform for industrial-scale laser sintering of plastic parts (EOS P 500) that prints high performance polymers at high temperatures. The selected materials of the alliance are evaluated in the EOS R&D facility to determine the processability of the current EOS system and to be used with the EOS P 500 platform. Victrex plans to continue pre-commercial testing of new PAEK filament products with consortium partner E3D, which recently commercialized a new water-cooled filament extruder head optimized for this new PAEK filament.
