Recent technological advances have made it possible for more companies to use additive manufacturing not just for prototyping, but also as an integral part of their supply chain strategy. But to truly move from prototyping to production, you must also focus on the quality of your additive manufacturing (AM) materials.
As the leading innovator in AM, 3D Systems has helped develop materials capable of meeting your production requirements. Specifically, 3D Systems’ Figure 4 portfolio, such as the recently introduced Figure 4 Rigid White resin, showcases the qualities you need to quickly move from prototyping to production.
Strength, long-term stability, speed, and appearance
The Figure 4 Rigid White production-grade material is changing expectations around what is possible for AM. Whereas AM materials were once seen as brittle and short-lived, these new plastics are capable of supporting a variety of intensive, long-term production needs. Specifically, Figure 4 Rigid White is designed for production, and it meets four main capabilities:
Capability 1: Strength
Production-grade AM materials must have robust physical and mechanical properties, including exceptional flexibility. To ensure this, 3D Systems designed and tested its Figure 4 materials for tensile strength, flexural modulus, elongation at break, and impact strength. For example, with a 20% elongation at break and flexural modulus of as much as 2200 MPa, Figure 4 Rigid White is capable of meeting the most stringent production requirements.
Capability 2: Stability
The ability to maintain performance and quality over several years is essential. With this in mind, 3D Systems engineered its production-capable Figure 4 materials for long-term environmental UV and humidity stability. The goal was for the materials to retain a high percentage of their initial mechanical properties over a long period of time. Using Figure 4 Rigid White as an example again, it meets good long-term environmental stability measured out to eight years indoor and two years outdoor.
Capability 3: Speed
Figure 4 Rigid White enables printing speeds as fast as 47 mm/hour at 50-micron layer thickness. These fast print speeds combined with simplified post processing and the use of 3D Sprint advanced software for print jobs preparation make exceptional throughput possible. And aside from the ultra-fast print speeds, you also gain high accuracy and repeatability, along with proactive and preventative support via 3D Connect Service. A light-based UV curing process enhances throughput and time-to-part even further, taking only minutes versus the hours that heat-based curing processes require. This makes same-day printing and shipping a reality.
Capability 4: Appearance
To be truly production-grade, an AM material must look as good as it performs. Figure 4 materials have an extremely smooth surface finish and a high level of detail which enables texturing. With Figure 4 Rigid White, 3D Systems went even further by ensuring it has a long-lasting, opaque white color that will not change over time. This makes it a great choice for industries, such as medical and consumer goods, in need of clean, durable plastics.
It is exciting to see how companies will use Figure 4 Rigid White and other Figure 4 materials to upgrade their production capabilities. To see how these innovations can support you, download the full material guide.
