FIBERLAB Fiberflex 40D
FIBERLAB Fiberflex 40D
Polish filament manufacturer, FIBERLAB, has released a new flexible and temperature fluctuation resistant material, Fiberflex 40D.
FIBERLAB is one of the leading material developers in Poland – in 2016 it was the named Polish filament manufacturer of the year.
Such are the mechanical properties of the Fiberflex 40D filament, which is the latest product under the Fiberlogy brand, FIBERLAB suggests it may act as a viable option for players in the aerospace industry. Students at the AGH University of Science and Technology used Fiberflex 40D to build the tyres of a Mars rover vehicle for the 2018 University Rover Challenge and European Rover Challenge. Thanks to the material’s properties, the students were able to produce a tyre with better ground traction and resistance to temperature fluctuations (from -40 °C to 70°C).
Andrzej Zakręcki
A Mars rover vehicle tyre printed in Fiberflex 40D by AGH University of Science and Technology.
Additionally, the company believes the material will be of use in the functional prototyping of products, product designing and robotics.
FIBERLAB says the filament enables fast filament, despite its noteworthy flexibility. Using a direct drive extruder, it is possible to print at speeds of 45mm/s. But objects with les complex geometry may be printed at rates of 60mm/s or 75mm/s. When using a Bowden extruder, the company recommends printing at a slower speed of 30mm/s.
Andrzej Zakręcki
A Mars rover tyre in action.
With a Shore hardness of 40D, the material is also more durable than many others on the market, per FIBERLAB. Moreover, the diameter tolerance of +/-0.02mm makes feeding easier.
The material is available at 1.75mm and 2.85mm sizes through a variety of resellers across Europe, and at varying prices.
In addition to Fiberflex 40D, FIBERLAB offers HD PLA, EASY PLA, PLA MINERAL, ABS, FIBERWOOD and HIPS filaments.
