3M
3M’s Novec Engineered Fluids for precision cleaning of additive manufacturing materials have successfully come through an independent study carried out by Added Scientific.
Conducted in the spring of 2022, the study found that Novec 71IPA fluid showed the highest compatibility with ten different materials in comparison to Isopropyl Alcoholic (IPA). Per 3M, there was no structural damage to the materials tests at Novec 71IPA’s boiling point, with only minor swelling observed.
3M Novec fluids are often used for cleaning mission and safety-critical applications in such markets as aerospace and medical. They are suitable for vapour degreasing, spray cleaning and hand-wipe applications, with the Novec fluid evaporating quickly without leaving residue. The Novec fluids can also penetrate tight spaces efficiently and, when used in vapour phase cleaning equipment, are said to consume less power and reduce fluid refill compared to other processes.
Since aerospace and medical are two of the biggest markets for additive manufacturing, 3M has sought to evaluate the efficacy of its Novec fluids for 3D printing materials by commissioning an independent study. During the Added Scientific study, extensive testing was carried out using Novec 71IPA and Novec 73DE on resins, polymer filaments, polymer powders and alloy powders. The two fluids were tested at their respective boiling points, using three samples per AM materials and submerged for seven days. 3M Novec 71IPA scored highest across all ten materials, while the 3M Novec 73DE Engineered Fluid was found to be ‘compatible with some AM parts constructed from polymeric powders and all metallic powders, including titanium.’
“AM has many benefits, enabling manufacturers to scale processes and explore innovative ideas,” commented Rudi Van San, Senior Application Engineer, Novec fluid, 3M. “Even the tiniest amount of residue could lead to problems or even product failure. Since AM is expected to be widely used in mission and safety-critical applications, superior surface preparation has to be a priority.
“We are delighted by the results of this study, providing consistent data to continue proposing 3M Novec fluids for AM component cleaning. Anecdotally, we already hear from the market that Novec fluid is being used in AM processes, so this study provides those users with the confidence that it is the right choice. We continue to engage with the industry to develop best practices for AM component cleaning, sharing our experience and science-based knowledge.”
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