Protolabs
Protolabs has announced the launch of its PAx Natural material series, expanding its additive manufacturing capabilities.
The PAx Smooth Natural and PAx Vapour Smooth Natural materials enhance the company's SLS additive manufacturing offering, with a low printing temperature set to help Protolabs deliver parts more quickly.
Characterised by toughness and flexibility in any direction, the material is said to have long-term stability and durability, including compatibility with liquids and chemicals. Parts produced with PAx Smooth Natural are translucent and have a large, smooth surface, similar to that of injection-moulded plastics, with Protolabs suggesting the material is suitable for prototype and end-use parts. The company says tolerances of ± 0.30 mm plus 0.002 mm/mm can usually be achieved for well-designed parts up to 200 mm and the material's versatility makes it suitable for a wide range of applications, from film hinges and snap-fits to appliances, tools, housings and orthotics.
The PAx Natural Vapour Smooth, meanwhile, is a polyamide material with high light transmission. This is an even more translucent material due to the vapour smoothing process and is more suitable for liquid, text or image displays.
Andrea Landoni, EMEA 3DP Product Manager, at Protolabs, said: “Through long term environmental tests, PAx Natural has proven to be one of the best performing SLS materials with impressive long-term indoor stability. The biggest difference between the two materials lies in their light transmission, giving manufacturers greater choice in application. Both materials are primarily used in the automotive industry, medical technology and computer electronics. With our ever-expanding portfolio of materials, we want to offer our customers the opportunity to realise any idea - even those that initially seem impossible.”
It is the second significant expansion to the company's additive manufacturing service offering after its installation of Axtra3D's Lumia X1 machine.
