CRP Group Windform RL
CRP Group claim Windform RL will be the preferred material choice automotive and motorsport applications.
CRP Group has launched the first thermoplastic elastomer material within its Windform family of materials for professional 3D printing.
Windform RL is a durable material with exceptional rubber-like distinguishing features. Its mechanical characteristics make it particularly suited for additive manufacturing applications requiring complex geometries, and where flexibility is a key requisite.
Flexible parts manufactured in Windform RL and stiff parts in Windform materials can be bonded together by epoxy resins or with mechanical joints. CRP Group is confident customers will not only benefit from the high quality guaranteed by the experience and reliability of Windform and CRP brands, but also from the material’s tailoring to satisfy its users’ needs and wants.
Franco Cevolini, CRP Group’s CEO and Technical Director, upon launching the first thermoplastic elastomer Windform material stated: “We created Windform RL to provide complete and tailored end-to-end service to meet all customers’ needs.”
Per CRP Group, Windform RL shows excellent durability and stability, accommodating chemical and heat resistance and combining superior tear resistance with burst strength. The company is also confident the material is perfect for functional rubber-like prototypes and parts, such as gaskets, hoses, and durable components.
According to CRP, Windform RL will be the preferred material choice not only for automotive and motorsport applications, but also for athletic footwear and equipment. Additionally, CRP expect it to have a similar impact in parts which require excellent shock absorption. The material will also be a reliable choice for the manufacturing of ‘soft-touch’ items with non-slip surfaces, like handles and over-moulded grips for example.
Due to Windform RL’s mechanical properties, it assures high performance sealing power. Its Seal Infiltration is a method for strengthening, colouring, and sealing Windform RL parts, and enhances the strength at break and creates a watertight barrier. It is available in a range of colours.
The Windform RL is part of a product family which has played a pivotal role in previous CRP projects, including in the production of wireless tech provider, Parrot’s first leisure drone and in the making of a lightweight golf club, which was featured at the CES 3D Printing Marketplace presented by TCT in January.
