Choosing the right tooling materials for manufacturing medical parts can be complicated, but with the right expertise and partner it can be a smooth process for long-term results.  

This is where having options makes a difference. Steel (hard) and aluminum (soft) tooling are both good options for creating the components used to manufacture medical parts. Selecting the option that will deliver the most value depends on your volume requirements, design complexity, and the lifespan of the mold. 

Aluminum Tooling: Fast Turnaround, Limited Cycles    

Specialized tool manufacturers can generally build aluminum tooling quickly, Aluminum tools are compatible with a variety of materials, cost less than steel, and have better heat conductivity. The ability to quickly gain or dissipate heat shortens production cycle times and offers a more consistent mold temperature, reducing the chances of warpage and increasing yields.    

Although aluminum boasts better heat conductivity and shorter production time than steel, its main drawback is that it can begin to wear down more quickly (typically after tens of thousands of production cycles) than steel. Worn tooling increases the chances for imperfections, a deal breaker for medical applications. Manufacturers may need to replace or repair aluminum tooling more often than steel tooling.    

Steel Tooling: High-Volume Production, Higher Upfront Costs  

Steel is a harder material than aluminum. This gives steel tooling many advantages: components can produce millions of parts over years without diminishing quality, the material allows for more complex designs, and the material is resistant to scratches and erosion. Steel tooling supports high-volume production runs for an extended period.  

However, steel tooling is also more expensive, and because steel is so hard, tooling may become difficult to repair or modify once produced. Steel doesn’t allow as much heat conductivity and so, molds take longer to heat and cool, increasing cycle times, potentially introducing warpage, shrinking, or sink marks. Additionally, high-featured designs or those that have unique requirements (e.g., thin, non-uniform walls) may require the use of steel molds to provide the required results. 

Choosing Your Tooling Material 

Both steel and aluminum tooling can be suitable options once the complete part design, budget and volume scenarios are fully considered. While the raw costs are distinctively different, the overall return on investment will depend on the lifespan of the tool and its usage.  

The decision comes down to the intended use of your tooling. Figure 1 shows a simplified version of the three factors to consider when determining which tooling material to use.  

Figure 1. Decision chart for steel vs. aluminum tooling 

Prototypes and Aluminum Tooling  

Prototypes are essential to developing new medical devices and other types of health technology. They allow engineers to test how their concept works in the real world, answering important questions, such as how well the part addresses the treatment’s core problem, how it fits with existing systems, and how easy it is to access and maintain. Without prototyping, these essential questions go unanswered, and the product is less likely to succeed during later stages.   

Consider using aluminum tooling for early prototypes if your volume needs are low – for example: less than 50,000 parts. Aluminum tooling will maintain its quality and reliability for the number of runs required to produce the prototype. Creating steel tooling for these low-volume runs may not provide the return on investment that aluminum will. Steel tooling is a more viable investment for high-production runs when volumes increase.   

Medical Industry Solutions From SyBridge  

Choosing the appropriate tooling for manufacturing your medical parts is crucial. The right tooling material will help guarantee the reliability of parts in high-volume production or the cost-effectiveness of parts in low-volume runs. Consider working with a tooling design and manufacturing expert to ensure consistent, reliable and high-quality outcomes. 

At SyBridge, our expert engineers can help you select the right tooling material to meet your needs. We bring decades of expertise in tool design and manufacturing of various types and levels and can guide you with the right choice for your application. 

Contact us  today to discover how SyBridge can produce the excellence you desire. 

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The terms “thermoplastic” and “thermoset” appear in many of the same conversations regarding plastic part manufacturing, but they’re not interchangeable. This article breaks down the major differences between thermoplastics and thermosets, as well as key advantages and best applications for each material.

Thermoplastics: What You Need to Know

Mechanical/Chemical Properties

A thermoplastic is any plastic material with a melting point that becomes molten when heated, solid when cooled, and can be re-melted or molded after cooling. The process is completely reversible, and doing so will not significantly compromise the material’s physical integrity. 

Thermoplastics are usually stored as pellets to facilitate easy melting during the injection molding process. Common examples of thermoplastics include acrylic, polyester, nylon, and PVC.

• Nylon: Nylon provides a unique combination of strength and wear resistance that makes this family of materials well-suited for a range of applications.
• TPE and TPU: When product designers and engineers want a part to have certain properties like shock absorption, flex rebound, or high impact strength, they often turn to polymers made out of thermoplastic elastomers. 
• ULTEM (PEI): ULTEM® is one of the only resins approved for use in aerospace settings. It is also among the most versatile plastics on the market. 

Advantages of Thermoplastics

Thermoplastics are strong, shrink-resistant, and relatively easy to use. Their inherent flexibility makes them an excellent choice for manufacturers who require shock-absorbent products that can withstand wear and tear while retaining their shape. 

Thermoplastics are generally more cost-effective than thermosets because they’re easier to process. This is because thermoplastics are made in higher volumes and don’t require post-processing. Plus, thermoplastic molds can be made from affordable materials like aluminum. Thermoplastics are highly compatible with injection molding processes, and are ideal for making repeatable parts in high volumes. 

Additionally, thermoplastics are some of the more environmentally friendly plastics on the market as they are highly recyclable by design. As an added benefit, manufacturing with thermoplastics produces fewer toxic fumes than working with thermosets. 

Common Thermoplastics Applications

Manufacturers often use thermoplastics for prototyping because if the final product doesn’t meet certain standards, they can easily melt the part down and start over without producing a lot of scrap material.

Beyond part prototyping, thermoplastics can be used to create a range of familiar consumer products, as well as medical devices, automotive components, and more.

Thermosets: What You Need to Know

Mechanical/Chemical Properties

In contrast to thermoplastics, a thermoset is any plastic material that hardens once cured by heat and cannot be reshaped after the curing process. During curing, valence bonds in the polymer cross-link together to form three-dimensional chemical bonds that cannot be undone, even under extreme heat. 

Thermosets are usually stored in liquid form in large containers. Common examples of thermosets include epoxy, silicone, and polyurethane.

• Epoxy (EPX 82): An additive material developed by Carbon for its DLS process. This material is ideal for automotive, industrial, and consumer applications. 
• Silicone (SIL 30): SIL 30 is an additive material developed by Carbon® for its digital light synthesis (DLS). Also known as SIL 30, this silicone urethane offers a unique combination of biocompatibility.
• RPU 70: Known for its toughness, strength, and ability to withstand heat, RPU can be used across multiple industries including consumer products, automotive, and industrial. 

Others like Phenolics are available as a granular product.

Advantages of Thermosets

Thermosets offer a wide range of benefits; overall, they are strong, stable, chemical-resistant, and have outstanding electrical properties. They won’t warp, degrade, or break down easily in extreme temperatures. 

Due to their strength and durability, thermosets are often used to reinforce another material’s structural properties. Among the most impact-resistant materials on the market, they are frequently used to seal products to protect them against deformation. 

Common Thermosets Applications

While thermoplastics offer a more diverse range of high and low functionality applications, thermosets can be used to create high-performance products in a wide variety of industries. 

Thermosets are ideal for building anything that comes into contact with extreme temperatures on a regular basis, such as kitchen appliances and electronics components.  

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The crucial difference between thermoplastics and thermosets boils down to how they react to heat. Thermoplastics can be molded and remolded in the presence of heat without losing structural integrity, while thermosets can be molded only once. Of the two, thermoplastics are better suited for all-purpose products that need to be strong and flexible, while thermosets make better high-performance products. An experienced manufacturing partner can help you decide which material best fits your needs. 

When you partner with SyBridge, you partner with a dedicated team of engineers and manufacturing experts who will help you take your project to the next level. We’ll match your vision with optimal materials, manufacturing processes, and post-production services to ensure that you end up with a product of unmatched quality. Contact us today for a quote.

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One of the most important factors to consider when manufacturing with plastic is durometer or shore durometer, which speaks to the hardness of a given material. Here’s everything engineers and product teams should know about this important measurement:

What is Durometer?

Durometer is a standardized way of measuring the hardness of materials like rubber or plastic. Hardness is a measure of how resistant a plastic is to deformation caused by mechanical indentation or abrasion.

Engineers can test a material’s hardness using a durometer tester. The apparatus looks like a round tire pressure gauge and has a needle on a calibrated spring extending from one end. To test for durometer hardness, an engineer places the needle against the elastomer or plastic and applies pressure. Once the needle has penetrated the material as much as it can, the measurement needle indicates the corresponding durometer hardness on the appropriate scale.

Although durometer can be measured on a scale of zero to 100, it’s not a unit of measurement. It’s actually a dimensionless measurement, meaning durometer numbers measure how hard or soft a material is relative to other materials that have been measured using the same durometer scale. Lower numbers indicate softer plastics, while higher numbers indicate harder plastics. For example, 90A polyurethane tubing is harder than 70A polyurethane tubing.

Different shore hardness scales were invented so that engineers and product teams could discuss the hardness of materials using a consistent, universal, and reproducible reference. The three most common shore hardness scales are shore 00, shore A, and shore D. Shore 00 is only used to measure the hardness of extremely soft rubbers and gels, shore A measures flexible rubbers that can range from very soft to hard, and shore D is only used to measure hard rubbers and plastics.

Product teams should know that durometer hardness doesn’t directly correlate to the flexibility of the end part. Rather, it’s an indirect measure of stiffness that teams can use to better understand the general feel of a material at a glance. Product teams should also know that they cannot compare materials that lie on different shore hardness scales. Durometer numbers are relative to the materials on their specific scale, meaning there’s no direct relationship between hardness on one durometer scale and hardness on another.

For example, a material with a durometer hardness of around 80 on a shore 00 scale is about as hard as a pencil eraser, but a material with a measurement of 80 on the shore D durometer scale has the hardness of a hard hat. Clearly, these measurements aren’t equivalent, although they share the same number, so product teams must remember to only compare the hardness of materials on the same scale.

How Durometer Hardness Factors Into Material Selection

When evaluating elastomers or plastics, engineers and product teams should think about their product’s end-use application and the project requirements. These factors will help narrow down the pool of potential materials and give product teams a clue as to what shore durometer scale they should focus on. If the part must be able to support a lot of weight over an extended period of time, for instance, teams should bypass the shore 00 scale altogether and only consider materials between the 70 and 100 range on the shore A hardness scale and/or the entire range of the shore D hardness scale.

Engineers should also balance desired hardness with other considerations like cost to determine which trade-offs they’re willing to make. For example, harder metals can be more expensive or difficult to machine. To work around this, engineers can use post-process hardening treatments to achieve higher durometers while maintaining ease of machining.

Still, material hardness is not the only factor that matters, and hardness is not necessarily indicative of other properties like strength or corrosion resistance. Stiffness and compression modulus measurements will give a more accurate reading on the sealing performance of a certain rubber than its durometer hardness.

To do their due diligence and select the best material for their specific requirements, product teams should evaluate options against a range of mechanical properties, including density, compression force deflection, application force, and thickness, in addition to durometer hardness.

Durometer Considerations for Injection Molds

The hardness of materials is especially important to consider when working with molds. Engineers must choose a mold rubber that will allow them to easily extract the original model and any subsequent castings from the mold once it has been cured — and shore hardness will have a direct impact on that.

For example, it wouldn’t be wise to use a 70A durometer elastomer to make a mold for a part with thin segments that stick out at different angles. A 70A durometer rubber is as hard as a car tire and doesn’t offer the flexibility necessary to extract such a delicate part without breaking it. An elastomer with a 30A shore durometer or lower would likely be flexible enough for this application.

Durometer Considerations for Additive Manufacturing

It’s also important for product teams to consider materials’ hardness when using additive manufacturing technologies. Many product teams aren’t as familiar with additive manufacturing materials, but if you know the durometer of an additive material, you can compare it to the durometer of more traditional plastics used in injection molding. This will give you a general idea of how the additive material will perform and provides a frame of reference.

Note that some additive materials have two durometers — an instant durometer and a five-second durometer. For example, a part produced using the Carbon Digital Light Synthesis (DLS)™ process likely won’t perform as expected until after it has been cured. Product teams using at-home printers or manufacturing in-house will notice a difference, but if you work with a manufacturing partner, you don’t need to worry about a material’s instant durometer because you’ll only see the final product. Still, it’s good to know that some materials require additional curing and post-processing to achieve their final durometer, so initial measurements are subject to change.

Get Started With SyBridge

To sum it up, durometer is a dimensionless but standardized measurement used to indicate the hardness of an elastomer or plastic relative to other elastomers or plastics on the same scale. Materials with higher durometers are harder, but teams should be careful not to compare materials across different scales because there’s no direct relationship between a given number on one scale and the same number on another.

Engineers and product teams should consider durometer during material selection, especially if their applications have specific hardness or softness requirements. However, evaluating shore hardness alone is insufficient. Teams should carefully consider all relevant design and performance requirements in order to select the best-fit material or materials. A seasoned manufacturing partner can simplify material selection and streamline the entire product development process.

At SyBridge, we specialize in helping product teams ensure their final products meet their needs. We know how crucial material selection is, and partnering with us means gaining access to our collective years of manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain expertise. By working with an experienced manufacturing partner like SyBridge, product teams can make the material selection process simple and stress-free, while accelerating project timelines and keeping costs low. Contact us today to get started.

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Restrictions around specific materials will vary by region. This means that a device that is approved for use in the United States might not meet the European Union’s standards.

While not every medical device requires biocompatible materials, many do. If the device is intended for internal use it will face stricter scrutiny than devices that might aid in a surgery or are in contact with the skin momentarily. Common examples of medical devices intended for internal use include pacemakers, prosthetics, stents, artificial hips, and other joint replacements.

It’s important that product development teams know which biocompatible materials are best-suited for their specific requirements in order to protect the patient’s health and wellbeing, achieve ongoing compliance with stringent regulations, and mitigate risk and liability. Here are some key guidelines and grounding principles for medical device material selection.

Regulatory Standards for Biocompatible Materials for Medical Devices

The materials and components used by medical device manufacturers must meet the stringent quality and performance requirements of the international regulation ISO 10993, which deals specifically with biocompatibility. ISO 10993 lays out an approach for how to perform risk mitigation and performance testing for device materials in a consistent and uniform manner.

ISO guidelines have the backing of the FDA. In September 2020, the agency released a guidance document offering suggestions for how to implement ISO regulations and ensure that FDA-approved materials for medical devices are in alignment with international standards.

Biocompatibility is a complex and evolving subject with few simple definitions, and the latest update to ISO 10993 guidelines (10993-1:2018; updated from 10993-1:2009) reflects the latest developments in the field. Perhaps the most significant change in the latest edition of ISO 10993 involves how biocompatibility is tested.

Whereas the previous version provided specific tests for assessing the biocompatibility of different device types, the current standard seeks to better address the many variables involved in medical device manufacturing through a comprehensive process of risk assessment, mitigation, and management. This allows the standard to be applied in a wider range of dynamic medical and manufacturing contexts.

The ISO 10993 update also includes additional or updated information about contact and non-contact medical devices, as well methods for evaluating the biocompatibility of nanotechnology, gas pathways, and absorbable materials.

Demonstrating biocompatibility is generally done through a three-stage process:

1. Product teams develop a Biological Evaluation Plan (BEP), which outlines known risks and strategies to test or mitigate these concerns. This document fulfills ISO 10993-1’s requirement for an initial risk assessment.
2. The device’s materials and components are tested to address these outlined risks, which can include evaluating factors such as how the device wears over time, material toxicity, or how the device operates when it comes in contact with fluids. Often, a variety of test types and design controls for medical devices are necessary to ensure the device functions as intended.
3. Product teams consolidate test results and analyses of the data into a Biological Evaluation Report (BER), which they then submit to the FDA for approval.

Additional Biocompatibility Challenges

In addition to achieving compliance with ISO and FDA regulations, biocompatible medical device design can lead to additional challenges for product teams. Medical device product development teams often have specific functional or design-related requirements by which they must adhere, and reconciling these requirements with material restrictions can be a time-consuming and intensive process. In fact, it’s not unheard of for customer requirements to necessitate a contradictory or mutually exclusive set of material properties — and it’s up to product teams to do the research that leads to an acceptable compromise.

Another key challenge involves production timelines. The testing required for toxicology and biocompatibility assessment do not produce simple pass or fail results; rather, these evaluations collectively create a demonstration of compliance or a recommendation for further research and evaluation. Because this requires a thorough and well-documented approach, the certification and approval process for medical devices cannot be rushed. Successful product teams are those with the skill and expertise to meet customers’ requirements while operating in accordance with ISO and FDA regulations.

Key Considerations for Selecting the Right Biocompatible Material

There are numerous variables and factors to take into account when designing and manufacturing biocompatible medical devices, and the specific details will of course vary based on the application.However, choosing the right material is paramount, as researchers have found that 30-40% of device recalls are caused by improper material choice. Here are three key considerations for product teams:

• Material availability: If the design of a medical device includes materials that are scarce or hard to come by, an alternative solution may be necessary. This helps to keep per-unit costs low and to ensure that the device can reach the market on schedule.
• Manufacturing process: The material requirements of a medical device or its components will help determine the optimal production method or methods. Injection molding, for instance, is a rapid and cost-effective means by which to create large quantities of precise plastic components with good surface finishes, but can be extremely expensive for low-volume production. CNC machining, on the other hand, has very few material restrictions but some significant geometric ones. Likewise, developments in additive manufacturing technologies are enabling faster production and greater customization — an especially valuable quality considering the medical sector’s large-scale shift toward patient-centric care —  though it’s worth noting that both CNC machining and additive manufacturing are compatible with a comparatively limited range of materials.
• Sterilization needs:Some medical devices and tools, such as hypodermic needles and IV tubing, must be sterilized before they can be circulated back into use. In design terms, this means the device must have a material resistance to the sterilization process. Knowing early on whether a device will have a sterilization requirement — in addition to the sterilization method that will be used — is key to avoiding expensive revisions and tests.

Maintaining an Efficient Design Process During Medical Device Product Development

Given that biocompatibility testing and approval require ongoing evaluation, product development teams will likely need to adapt or rethink their design processes based on their findings.

There are a couple of structural ways in which teams can streamline their design processes. Maintaining an accurate database of materials that includes information related to test results, material toxicology or carcinogenicity, and other characteristics laid out by the ISO 10993, is the first step to creating an archive of historical data that can be referred back to in future design efforts. Doing so not only helps to improve the efficiency of modifications during the design process, but also helps to keep the design team acquainted with the various materials that are relevant to a device’s biocompatibility and functionality requirements.

If component materials have been selected but part geometry has yet to be finalized, plaque testing is a technique that allows teams to stay productive and efficient. This technique involves producing multiple small plaques via the manufacturing method that will be used to create the final product. The plaques are then subjected to biocompatibility testing — including chemical testing and determining how the material breaks down over time — while product developers finalize the part design. This helps to establish the foundation for subsequent evaluation and can speed the regulatory approval process.

Choosing the Right Manufacturing Partner for the Job

The updated processes contained in the latest ISO 10993 seek to minimize unnecessary testing while still guaranteeing that product teams are able to account for how relevant factors like the device design, physical and chemical characteristics of the device materials, and even the manufacturing process can influence the quality of devices and how well they are able to meet patients’ needs. The strenuous design, development, and regulatory processes required for effective medical device manufacturing can present significant challenges for product teams, which is why it’s beneficial to partner with a tried-and-true manufacturer like SyBridge.

SyBridge is an innovative, on-demand digital manufacturing platform with significant experience working with medical device design teams to bring safe, reliable products to market. Our skills and techniques have been used to create cutting edge prosthetics, highly precise surgical models, and more, and our team is prepared to provide 360-degree advisory and support services from the design and prototyping stages to production and fulfillment. Ready to get started? Contact our team today.

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Acrylic, also known as plexiglass or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and polycarbonate are both lightweight, transparent plastics suitable for manufacturing parts via CNC machining. Acrylic is known for its strength and transparency, making it an excellent alternative to standard glass, whereas polycarbonate is incredibly tough and impact resistant, making it ideal for applications that require clarity as well as increased durability, such as safety glass.

While acrylic and polycarbonate are similar in many respects, there are some important differences between these two common materials that can make one better suited for a particular application over the other, or impact the machining process and thus lead time and cost. In this article, we’ll go over what you need to know about machining acrylic and polycarbonate so that you can select the best manufacturing option for your project and create designs that work with the material you choose.

Machining Acrylic and Polycarbonate: What You Need to Know

When it comes to machining acrylic, cast acrylic is often a better choice than extruded acrylic, as the latter is more likely to crack or chip during the machining process. This means that the toolpath strategies sometimes need careful selection to avoid chipping the part. Additionally, since acrylics aren’t very heat resistant, it’s necessary to use a sharp cutting tool in order to obtain a smooth surface finish. Acrylic’s low melting point means that it will also be necessary to use a lower cutting feedrate than other plastics during machining, since higher feedrates will generate more friction and heat, and potentially ruin your part. If necessary, acrylic may be kept in a freezer before machining to ensure that it remains as cool as possible.

With its toughness and impact resistance, polycarbonate is better for machining and is particularly well-suited to CNC milling. However, when machining polycarbonate, the sharpness of the cutting tool is still important, as polycarbonate sheets can melt if too much heat builds up during the machining process. Since polycarbonate is less likely to chip than acrylic, it tends to be easier to machine and allows for more standard toolpath strategies to be used. In addition, because there is a higher temperature working range, more aggressive strategies can be used with a smaller chance of causing issues, potentially saving time and money.

Applications for Acrylic and Polycarbonate

Both acrylic and polycarbonate are lightweight, machinable, and have unique characteristics that make them suitable for an array of applications across industries.

Acrylic is a popular material within the automotive, construction, and aerospace industries, and is often used for things like dry boxes, lenses, radiation shields, and desiccators. Additionally, its transparency, strength, and high impact resistance make it a great alternative to glass, and you can commonly find it used in greenhouses, aquariums, terrariums, security barriers, and more.

Like acrylic, polycarbonate is popular in the automotive, aerospace, and construction industries, but its resistance to heat and strong dimensional stability make it very popular in the medical industry, as polycarbonate parts can withstand limited autoclaves and irradiation sterilization. Among its more common applications, polycarbonate is often used for point-of-purchase retail displays, face shields, architectural features, clear manifolds, bulletproof windows, and much more.

Pros and Cons of Using Acrylic for Your Parts

Acrylic offers a range positive attributes, including:

• Transparency: Acrylic can allow up to 92% of light to pass through it, making it more transparent than some grades of glass and most other thermoplastics. It can also be colored without sacrificing its transparency, though it’s possible to manufacture more opaque acrylic parts, as well.
• Strength: Acrylic is much stronger and more impact resistant than glass. Most grades of acrylic are four to eight times stronger than glass.
• Environmental resistance: Acrylic is naturally resistant to scratches, weathering, and UV radiation, making it ideal for outdoor applications.
• Chemical resistance: Acrylic is resistant to many chemicals, including alkalis, detergents, cleaners, and dilute inorganic acids.
• Moisture absorption: Acrylic has low moisture absorption, which allows it to retain its dimensions when used in outdoor applications.
• Compatibility with coatings: Acrylic parts can be coated with anti-static, hard coat, or non-glare layers in order to improve their surface quality, extend their lifespan, and ensure they meet specific requirements.
• Affordability: Despite its strength, durability, and clarity, acrylic remains relatively inexpensive to manufacture and machine. For comparison, polycarbonate is about 35 – 40% more expensive.
• Color: Acrylic is available in a wide range of colors.

CNC machining acrylic is not without its disadvantages. As previously noted, acrylic is more susceptible to cracking and chipping than polycarbonate, and it’s slightly more difficult to machine, since it will lose structural integrity and begin melting at temperatures over 160°C. When designing acrylic parts for CNC machining, you’ll need to remember that relatively low melting point because it makes the material more susceptible to deformation during the manufacturing process. To avoid the risk of melting, and to achieve a quality surface finish, using a proper feed rate and pass depth is crucial. Similarly, to reduce chatter and achieve quality cuts, acrylic parts should be machined using tools with a short flute length and a cutting depth roughly half the diameter of the bit.

Your product’s intended use will also determine whether acrylic is the best option for your project. For example, acrylic’s extreme biocompatibility makes it a good option for bone implants, dentures, or other skin-contact applications; similarly, its resistance to weather, UV radiation, and scratching make it a good fit for parts which will be used outdoors. On the other hand, acrylic might not be the best choice for food containers that will be exposed to high temperature environments, such as dishwashers or microwaves, since acrylic parts will only maintain their dimensions up to 149°F (65°C), at which point they begin to soften. 

Pros and Cons of Using Polycarbonate for Your Parts

The positives of using polycarbonate include:

• Transparency: Polycarbonate is a naturally transparent thermoplastic that can transmit light just as effectively as glass, making it ideal for lenses, lighting, and bulletproof glass. Like acrylic, polycarbonate can be colored without sacrificing its transparency.
• Variety: There are several formulations of polycarbonate on the market, including glass-filled and FDA-compliant variants, so it’s likely that you’ll be able to find one that meets your project’s needs.
• Strength and impact resistance: Polycarbonate has a tensile strength around 200 times that of glass, and is highly resistant to impact. Accordingly, it’s often used in bullet-resistant glass and protective gear.
• Shrinkage and dimensional stability: Polycarbonate will maintain its dimensions under most conditions, and has a low shrink rate of 0.6 – 0.9%.
• Environmental resistance: Polycarbonate is naturally resistant to UV radiation and can withstand varying moisture levels and fluctuating temperatures, which makes it an excellent material for outdoor applications and eyewear.
• Chemical resistance: Polycarbonate is resistant to many chemicals, including diluted acids, oils, waxes, aliphatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, and greases.
• Moisture absorption: Polycarbonate has slightly lower moisture absorption compared to acrylic.
• Compatibility with coatings: Like acrylic, polycarbonate components can be coated with anti-static, hard coat, and non-glare layers. Polycarbonate is also compatible with UV and anti-fog layers.
• High machinability: Since it’s so durable and tolerant to heat, polycarbonate is easier to machine than acrylic.

While polycarbonate has many positive attributes, there are some disadvantages to using polycarbonate for a CNC machining project, including its high cost and its susceptibility to denting. Additionally, since polycarbonate scratches easily, it’s more likely to require finishing, which is complicated by the fact that only certain finishing processes, such as vapor polishing and coating, work with polycarbonate parts.

Additionally, it’s important to note that polycarbonate parts are also prone to developing sinks or voids in thicker sections. To prevent this, it’s best to break thicker elements down into smaller, thinner sections to be assembled later. It’s easy to remember this tip by keeping costs in mind — machining a thick part out of a single block of polycarbonate will typically be more expensive than working with smaller pieces due to the cost of the raw materials and the machining time.

Finishing Options for Acrylic and Polycarbonate

There are several finishing options available for acrylic and polycarbonate, including some that will help your parts look and feel ready for end-use applications and even improve clarity:

• As-machined finish: The standard and most economical finish, ‘as-machined’ or ‘as-milled’ means that no additional post-processing is applied to the part. As-machined parts have tight dimensional finishes and may represent a faster, more affordable manufacturing option. In some cases, as-machined parts may have small but visible surface tool marks, blemishes, or scratches.
• Bead blasting: An economical finish that creates a uniform appearance, bead blasting tends to leave a dull or satin finish and is effective for removing tool marks and surface blemishes.
• Vapor polishing: This finishing option uses solvent vapor to transform matte or opaque surfaces into smooth, high gloss, or optically clear surfaces. Vapor polishing is often used on parts where rough surfaces are unacceptable or where clarity is paramount. 

With sufficient care during the cutting process, machined surfaces of acrylic and polycarbonate parts will typically be translucent, but can become nearly opaque if the material melts. Should melting occur, it may be possible to address surface opacity with post-processing options such as vapor polishing. However, it’s worth noting that as-machined finishes for acrylic and polycarbonate parts will not be optically clear, although it may be possible to achieve optical clarity if diamond tooling is used, but this must be specifically requested during the quoting process, as it will significantly add to cost.

Bottom line: Comparing Acrylic and Polycarbonate for Machining

Special care should be taken with designs that include machined acrylic due to the increased likelihood of stress cracking. With this in mind, it’s advisable to use razor-sharp cutting tools to avoid melting the acrylic or causing cracking; diamond cutters yield the best surface finish, though carbide cutters are much more affordable. It will also be necessary to use a relatively fast feed rate to prevent the acrylic from melting, but remember that going too fast can cause extreme cutting pressure and breakage.

While polycarbonate is generally better suited to machining thanks to its rigidity, toughness, durability, and higher melting point, the trade-off is that polycarbonate is less transparent than acrylic. However, if you need to create specific-use parts, such as protective gear, fuse boxes, or large, tough components, transparency may not be an issue. On the other hand, if you’re designing a product for which transparency is a top priority, taking the extra effort to machine acrylic may be worth it.

Bringing Your Part Designs to Life with SyBridge

Selecting a suitable material for your manufacturing project can be the difference between success and failure. While we’ve explored the positives and negatives of acrylic and polycarbonate, it’s worth remembering that they’re not your only options. Numerous CNC machining materials may be compatible with your part’s design and intended application, and choosing the right one can be a complicated process. 

Fortunately, a manufacturing partner like SyBridge can reduce that complexity and address the challenges certain materials present. Beyond helping you decide whether acrylic, polycarbonate, or another material will work best for your part, our team can offer access to the tools and expertise you’ll need to ensure production runs as smoothly and cost-efficiently as possible. And getting your project started is simple: just create an account and upload your designs to get a quote for your parts instantly. Or, to learn more about how we can make your project possible, contact us today.

The post Key Differences for Acrylic and Polycarbonate Machining appeared first on SyBridge Technologies.

Since its development in the mid-20th century, polycarbonate (PC) has been an increasingly popular material in manufacturing. Today, around 2.7 million tons of polycarbonates are produced each year globally. Over the years, various companies have created different formulas for polycarbonate, so there are several industry grades of polycarbonate to choose from. Some forms have more glass fiber reinforcement, while others have additives like ultraviolet stabilizers for protection against long-term sun exposure.

Strong and versatile, this amorphous thermoplastic is resistant to heat, impact, and many chemicals. As such, polycarbonate is ideal for components that need to be tough or repeatedly sterilized and is often used in the automotive and medical industries.

How Polycarbonate is Manufactured

Each company manufactures polycarbonates slightly differently, but polycarbonate materials have traditionally been created via the condensation polymerization of bisphenol A and carbonyl chloride. However, many companies have started to use diphenyl carbonate instead because carbonyl chloride is extremely toxic.

Regardless of whether carbonyl chloride or diphenyl carbonate is used, a bisphenol A solution in sodium hydroxide is required and then mixed with the carbonyl chloride or diphenyl carbonate solution in an organic solvent so polymerization can take place. When the polycarbonate forms, it will initially be in a liquid state. The solution will be evaporated to form granules, or ethanol will need to be introduced to precipitate the solid polymer.

Once created, polycarbonate is often sold in rods, cylinders, or sheets and can be used in various manufacturing processes. Polycarbonate is compatible with thermoforming, extrusion, and blow molding, but it’s most often used with injection molding. After all, as a thermoplastic, polycarbonate can be melted, cooled, and reheated without burning or significant degradation, making it an ideal injection molding material.

During injection molding, polycarbonate needs to be processed at a high temperature and injected into the mold with high pressure because polycarbonate is quite viscous. The melt temperature should be between 280°C and 320°C, and the mold temperature should fall between 80°C and 100°C. However, those numbers can vary depending on the grade of polycarbonate being used. For example, a high-heat polycarbonate will require a melt temperature between 310°C and 340°C and a mold temperature between 100°C and 150°C, whereas a PC-ABS (polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) blend’s melt temperature only needs to be between 240°C and 280°C and its mold temperature can fall as low as 70°C and up to 100°C.

Properties and Mechanical Specifications of Polycarbonate Material

While there are several grades of polycarbonates, each with their own molecular mass, structure, and properties, all polycarbonates have a few things in common.

For one, they are known for their toughness and high impact resistance. As a result, polycarbonate is often used for applications that require reliability and high performance.

Despite their toughness and strength, polycarbonates are light weight, allowing for extensive design possibilities and relatively easy installation when compared to other materials.

Polycarbonates are also very resistant to heat and flames. A polycarbonate can maintain its toughness in temperatures up to 140°C, which means polycarbonate parts can withstand repeated sterilization. Polycarbonates also have light transmittance rates above 90% and good chemical resistance against diluted acids, oils, greases, aliphatic hydrocarbons, and alcohols.

A polycarbonate’s properties depend on its molecular mass and structure, so each material is slightly different. To give you an idea of what you can expect, here are some typical key characteristics and specifications:

• Specific gravity: 1.21
• Melt temperature: 295 – 315°C
• Mold temperature: 70 – 95°C
• Heat deflection temperature: 137°C at 0.45 MPa
• Tensile strength: 61 MPa
• Flexural strength: 90 MPa
• Shrink rate: 0.5 – 0.7%
• Rockwell hardness: 118R

As you can see, polycarbonate manufacturing has plenty to offer. However, there are a few things you’ll want to be aware of before selecting this material for a project. For example, its mechanical properties can degrade after prolonged exposure to water over 60°C. Polycarbonate is also susceptible to scratching, more costly to manufacture than many other materials, and vulnerable to diluted alkalis and aromatic and halogenated hydrocarbons. Additionally, the polycarbonate formulations without UV stabilizers can sometimes yellow over time when exposed to UV rays.

Common Uses of Polycarbonates in Everyday Life

Polycarbonate’s toughness and high impact resistance make it a popular material choice for automotive industry manufacturers, particularly when it comes to parts that must be clear or translucent and are subject to frequent impact, such as headlight and turn signal lenses.

In the medical industry, polycarbonate can be found in everything from incubators to dialysis machine housings. After all, polycarbonate is tough, resistant to heat, dimensionally stable, and able to withstand sterilization via FDA-approved methods including autoclaves and irradiation. Polycarbonate can be used in blood filters, reservoirs, and oxygenators, as well as surgical instruments. Plus, given its transparency, polycarbonate enables doctors to more easily monitor blood and track the administration of fluids.

Polycarbonate is also a material of choice in many household appliances, such as mixers, hair dryers, refrigerators, and electric razors. Other common uses for polycarbonate include exterior lighting fixtures, machinery guards, protective gear, bullet-proof glass, fuse boxes, television housings, roofing, skylights, greenhouses, suitcases, eyeglasses, and beverage containers, such as baby bottles, sippy cups, and refillable water bottles.

Getting Started With Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate is a strong and impact-resistant thermoplastic that’s used across a variety of industries. However, there are several different kinds of polycarbonate on the market, each with its own characteristics. Working with an experienced manufacturing partner like SyBridge can make all the difference for product teams who are unfamiliar with polycarbonate or are looking to manufacture parts and products with materials that may be more suitable for a specific application. Want to see if polycarbonate is the right material for your next project? Create an account and upload your part files or contact us today to get started.

The post Know Your Materials: Polycarbonate (PC) appeared first on SyBridge Technologies.

There are countless thermoplastics on the market today, from acrylic to polyetherimide. Polypropylene and nylon are two other thermoplastics commonly used in manufacturing, so it’s important to understand the qualities of each before you consider these materials for your next project.

Polypropylene is a capable, low-cost crystalline thermoplastic often used in medical equipment, food containers, packaging, and water pipes. It’s most commonly used with the injection molding or CNC machining manufacturing processes, but it’s also possible to 3D print polypropylene. However, before you decide to 3D print your parts using polypropylene, it’s important to note that it does tend to warp more easily than many other 3D printing materials, and there may be more suitable options depending on what you’re making.

Likewise, nylon is also compatible with 3D printing, injection molding, and CNC machining, and is used across industries to manufacture everything from rope to engine components. It can be shaped into several different forms, including sheets, fibers, filaments, and films, and is often used in place of low-strength metals.

As you can see, nylon and polypropylene are versatile plastics with multiple benefits. However, designing parts for outdoor use requires selecting the right UV-resistant or UV-stabilized plastic, so it’s important to consider each material’s UV qualities to ensure your end product can withstand prolonged exposure to sunlight without breaking down. In this article, we’ll go over the UV resistance qualities of nylon and polypropylene to help you make an informed material choice.

What is UV-resistant plastic?

If your part will spend a significant amount of time outside or otherwise be exposed to sustained levels of UV radiation, you may want to use a plastic resistant to UV rays. For example, you may have seen some stadium seats, automotive parts, and lawn chairs suffer from discoloration, a loss of visual clarity, and/or a reduction in mechanical strength and impact resistance; this is because they were made out of a plastic with low UV resistance. Exposure to UV light can also make plastic parts more brittle and susceptible to breakage, cracking, deformation, or disintegration.

While almost no material is entirely resistant to UV light, some can absorb UV radiation. Adding stabilizers or additives can improve UV resistance for plastics that can’t absorb UV light. These non-UV-resistant materials produce free radicals (atoms with an unpaired electron), which can break down intermolecular bonds, negatively impact mechanical properties, and cause plastics to wear down.

Polypropylene UV resistance qualities in manufacturing

Polypropylene is an extremely tough yet flexible and lightweight material. It is resistant to mold, bacteria, water, oil, rot, electricity, and chemicals. However, polypropylene isn’t the best option for products that live outside or are regularly exposed to sunlight because it’s deeply affected by exposure to UV radiation. Specifically, it’s susceptible to UV wavelengths of 290 – 300 nanometers, 330 nanometers, and 370 nanometers. Exposure to high-intensity UV radiation for as few as six days can cause polypropylene to lose up to 70% of its mechanical strength, resulting in very brittle parts.

Polypropylene products will generally break down after a few months of direct exposure to sunlight, as the radiation will excite photons and create free radicals. However, using additives and coatings can help protect polypropylene parts from sunlight. For example, zinc oxide or titanium oxide fibers can block and absorb UV light, reducing the polypropylene’s exposure to UV radiation and extending the part’s life. Similarly, designing a polypropylene part with protective seals can help it better withstand sunlight, though getting polypropylene to bond with other materials can be difficult as it has little to no absorption tendencies and is quite slippery.

Even with additives, polypropylene will degrade quickly compared to naturally UV-resistant plastics like acrylic or high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Thus, we recommend against its use for products that will receive extended exposure to direct sunlight.

Nylon UV resistance qualities in manufacturing

Similarly, nylon is susceptible to degradation when exposed to UV radiation for prolonged periods, as UV light creates free radicals that impact nylon’s properties. When exposed to sunlight for a prolonged period, nylon parts will weaken and fade in color. Nylon is sensitive to UV wavelengths of 290 – 315 nanometers.

However, there are several nylon variations which offer varying degrees of UV resistance. For example, nylon 6/6 is less resistant to UV rays than nylon 6 or nylon 12. Thus, it’s important to consider each nylon variation’s mechanical strength, temperature resistance, abrasion resistance, and water resistance in addition to your product’s intended application when deciding which type of nylon to use for your project.

Choosing between polypropylene and nylon

Neither nylon nor polypropylene is particularly resistant to UV light, but polypropylene will likely degrade faster upon consistent exposure to UV radiation. However, you can boost both polypropylene UV resistance and nylon UV resistance with:

• Stabilizers: When free radicals form, these additives trap them, preventing them from degrading the intermolecular bonds within the nylon or polypropylene. Hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS) are the most common type of stabilizers.
• Blockers: Blockers work by preventing UV rays from reaching the polypropylene or nylon in the first place. Carbon black is a common, highly effective blocker for outdoor applications, but titanium dioxide pigment can also help increase your product’s longevity.
• Absorbers: On the other hand, absorbers can absorb UV radiation and convert it into heat or other less harmful wavelengths. The most common absorbers are benzophenones and benzotriazoles, but other options exist.

It’s also worth noting that UV resistance isn’t the only factor to consider when choosing between polypropylene and nylon.

Polypropylene is stronger and more resistant to moisture than nylon, and its low melt viscosity makes it ideal for use in injection molding. Polypropylene is also resistant to electricity, oils, and bacteria, though it’s highly flammable and susceptible to chlorinated solvents and oxidation.

On the other hand, nylon has a higher melt viscosity than polypropylene. It also has good electrical resistance and is ideal for high-friction applications, as it can maintain its shape without much maintenance or lubrication. Nylon is also more malleable than polypropylene, which enables designers to create more complex shapes.

Producing polypropylene and nylon parts with SyBridge

Polypropylene and nylon are acceptable materials for parts that will receive intermittent UV exposure. However, fluoropolymers (such as polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, and fluorinated ethylene propylene), imides (like polyimide and polyetherimide), acrylic, high-density polyethylene, or polycarbonate may be better suited for parts that will receive prolonged UV exposure. If polypropylene or nylon is otherwise the best material for your needs, adding blockers, stabilizers, or absorbers can boost your product’s UV resistance and increase its lifespan.

When you work with SyBridge, our team of experienced engineers can help you select the right material for your project. We’ll work with you from the design stage through production to ensure that your parts come out as intended. If you need help getting started, contact us to discuss our capabilities and what SyBridge can do for you.

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People often turn to compatibility comparisons to understand how their product’s material will react to certain chemicals and withstand its future environment. To help guide you in the material selection process, we’ve compiled data from our additive manufacturing partners, including Carbon, HP, and Stratasys.

Our partners used several tests to evaluate additive materials. For example, DLS materials were tested and evaluated on percent weight gained after one week of chemical submersion, per the ASTM D543 standard. Additive materials from ULTEM 9085 to RPU 70 were tested in household chemicals (like sunscreen, bleach, and chlorinated hydrocarbons), industrial fluids (from windshield washer fluid to diesel fuel), and strong acids and bases (such as sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide). The materials that absorbed the most chemical substance received the lowest evaluations, as they would degrade faster in a real-world situation, while those that absorbed less received higher rankings. Similarly, we ranked our FDM and MJF materials based on their likelihood of degrading during immediate, short-term, and prolonged exposure.

It’s important to note that these evaluations do not reflect mechanical or dimensional changes in materials after chemical exposure. Instead, you should use this chart as a general guide to help narrow down the selection of additive materials for varying environments. Any parts used in production applications require formal testing and validation, as our chart merely indicates the likelihood of additive material degradation over specific periods.

To better understand material capabilities and their ability to meet formal standards, reach out to our team to help you get started on your next additive project.

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The additive manufacturing industry is older than many people think. In fact, roughly the past 40 years are peppered with significant advances in 3D printing. Engineers started using stereolithography (SLA) technology for manufacturing prototypes in the 1980s and use of fused deposition modeling (FDM) quickly followed in the early 1990s. Fast forward to 2016, Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) hit the market and transformed the additive manufacturing industry yet again.

FDM is one of the oldest 3D printing technologies, and MJF is among the youngest, but both can quickly produce accurate parts. Which is best for your next project? Here’s what you need to consider before you make a final decision.

What is MJF 3D Printing?

HP’s expertise in inkjet printing technology and precision mechanics informed the company’s 2016 foray into the 3D printing sector. MJF technology builds parts up layer by layer in a bed of powder material to create strong and accurate components with fine details, consistent mechanical properties, and quality surface finishes.

Capable of producing 100% filled, functional, and detailed parts that don’t require support structures, MJF is suitable for creating robust prototypes or low-volume production runs. Popular applications include jigs, fixtures, electronic housings and mechanical assemblies.

How Does Multi Jet Fusion Work?

At the beginning of the Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing process, your engineer will place the moveable build unit in the printer, and the printer will deposit a layer of powder material, such as polyamide 11 (PA 11), polyamide 12 (PA 12), or TPA. Then, the printing and fusing carriage will move across the build area, and the inkjet nozzles will apply fusing agents. Once the layer is complete, the build unit will retract, the machine will deposit another layer of powder, and the process will repeat. Once the print is complete, the operator will then remove the build box, cool and separate the part from loose powder, and use a bead, air, or water blaster to remove any leftover powder.

What are MJF 3D Printing’s Advantages and Disadvantages?

MJF is up to 10 times faster than other 3D printing technologies, making it well-suited for rapid prototyping and mid-sized batches of end-use parts. Support structures aren’t required, which means you can save on materials and reduce production time. Plus, since MJF printers can print ultra-thin layers, you can produce dense parts with low porosity, high resolution, good mechanical properties, and consistent strength in all directions.

However, the technology is more expensive than some other additive manufacturing technologies, and it’s only compatible with a few materials.

What is FDM 3D Printing?

FDM is cost-effective and offers a range of printer sizes. It is ideal for printing during the initial concept development and mid-fidelity prototyping phases to gain a general idea of how your final part will look, feel, and fit with other components. FDM can also be used for end-use products.

How Does FDM Printing Work?

Creating a part using FDM requires a printer, a digital model, and a spool of filament. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), polycarbonate (PC), and nylon (PA) are among the most popular filament materials.

After slicing your digital 3D model, your printer will melt and extrude the plastic filament from a nozzle as it moves along the X, Y, and Z axes. The build platform will move down (or the extrusion head will move up) after each layer, and the process will begin again. Most layers are 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm tall, but you may need to use smaller layer sizes if you need smoother surfaces, a curved print, or a high level of detail.

What are FDM 3D Printing’s Advantages and Disadvantages?

FDM has lots to offer, from fast turnaround times to compatibility with a wide range of materials and colors. When using an FDM printer, you can use ABS, nylon, and more to create strong and functional prototypes or end-use parts. Industrial FDM machines have build sizes as large as 1,000 mm x 1,000 mm x 1,000 mm, and you can just as easily print a custom part as you would a mass-produced part.

FDM also has a few drawbacks. For one, it doesn’t offer the same quality, reliability, or dimensional accuracy that other 3D printing technologies do. Nozzles can clog up, or print beds can become miscalibrated, causing failed prints. Like with MJF, if your part cools at different rates, you may notice warping. You might also see visible layer lines and lower resolutions.

Additionally, FDM parts are anisotropic and often require support, so you’ll need to consider orientation and support structure placement while designing your part. You may also need to post-process your parts via sanding, polishing, acetone vapor smoothing, or epoxy coating or choose a more expensive dissolvable support material.

Multi Jet Fusion vs. Fused Deposition Modeling

When comparing FDM vs. MJF, each process has pros and cons, and there are certain situations where it makes sense to use one over the other. You need to consider:

• Your part quality: If you’re creating a simple prototype, you should use FDM. However, if you need an end-use part with a smooth, high-quality, consistent finish, opt for MJF and avoid additional post-processing.
• Your part’s desired strength, durability, and other properties: While MJF prints are nearly isotropic, FDM prints are weaker in the Z dimension due to the heat and stretching from the extrusion process. Additionally, MJF parts are often stiffer, denser, and more durable than FDM parts, so if you need a long-lasting functional part, consider using MJF. If you need a conceptual prototype, use FDM to reduce costs.
• Your design’s complexity: MJF doesn’t require support structures and uses smaller layers, so you have more design flexibility and the ability to print more complex structures.
• Your part’s material: MJF is only compatible with a few materials, so you should opt for FDM if you want a wider selection of material and color options.
• Your production requirements: If you need to produce several functional parts or have a tight turnaround time, you should consider MJF. MJF machines can print around 300 cm3 per hour, compared to FDM’s average production speed of 10 cm3 per hour. Plus, you can more effectively use your print volume to scale production.
• Your environmental impact: Since an FDM print can use 20% of its material in its support structures, FDM has the largest waste of all 3D printing technologies. MJF has a relatively low environmental impact because around 85% of MJF powder can be recycled.

3D Printing With SyBridge

MJF and FDM both offer relatively short turnaround times and quality parts. When deciding between the two, you need to consider production requirements, environmental goals, and the desired part quality, complexity, material, and properties.

If you’re unsure whether you should use MJF or FDM, SyBridge’s experts can help you choose the technology that best suits your project. We can also optimize your design and produce your parts using industrial-grade printers and materials. Contact us today to get started.

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If you need a durable, high-performing part that can withstand heavy impacts and repetitive use, you’ll want to print with the best of the best materials. But which filament should you use? There are countless materials options available, but each one offers different characteristics and is best-suited for different situations. In this article, we’ll break down the high-strength 3D printing filaments that should be at the top of your list.

We’ll look at 3D printer material strength through the lens of its tensile strength, or the maximum load a material can support without breaking while being stretched. We may also refer to elongation at break, which indicates how much the filament can stretch before breaking and gives insight into impact resistance.

Top 3 high-strength 3D printing filaments

1. Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate (PC) is a wear- and tear-resistant 3D printing material that can maintain its toughness in temperatures as high as 140°C and as low as -20°C. Many product teams use polycarbonate as an engineering plastic due to its good electrical properties, high impact strength, dimensional stability, light weight, non-conductivity, resistance to diluted acids, and flexibility.

When it comes to 3D printing material tensile strength, polycarbonate is hard to beat. It has a tensile strength of 9,800 pounds per square inch (PSI), and a printed polycarbonate hook can support up to 685 pounds of weight. Polycarbonate also has a high impact strength and is used in everything from bullet-proof glass to protective cases for electrical devices to safety helmets. If you need a durable, flexible, non-conductive part with a robust mechanical structure that’s able to withstand high impacts or temperatures, consider using polycarbonate.

2. Nylon

With a tensile strength of 7,000 PSI, nylon is another strong 3D printing material. A nylon hook can only hold 485 pounds, but nylon is easier to print with than polycarbonate. To achieve the best results, ensure your filament is dry and print at a temperature between 220°C and 270°C.

Nylon is prone to mild warping, but its resistance to impact, fatigue, heat, and chemicals make it suitable for most 3D printing applications. It also has a low coefficient of friction, making it ideal for functional moving parts, such as living hinges, snap fits, and gears. Plus, it’s accessible and cost-effective — if you’re working with a smaller budget or building prototypes, you can manufacture a strong final product for less using nylon filament.

3. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is a terpolymer made of acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene polymers. It’s produced via emulsion or continuous mass technique and is resistant to water, heat, and fatigue. It has a tensile strength of 4,100 PSI and is popular in the engineering, technical, and at-home markets. It’s often used in automotive parts, household items, and products that must withstand high levels of mechanical stress.

Not only is this impact-resistant engineering thermoplastic cost-effective and accessible, but it’s also durable, so it’s not surprising that many manufacturers 3D print high-functioning parts with ABS. With its smooth finish, ABS is also an ideal material for end-use components. Plus, sanding, finishing, or painting ABS is easy.

Composite materials

In addition to printing with the aforementioned filaments, you can use composite materials — those containing a mixture of two more materials — to increase the strength of your final part. Composites often contain fibers held together by a binding matrix that makes them incredibly strong and durable while remaining relatively light. As a result, many product teams turn to carbon fiber-infused or glass-infused materials when lightweighting parts.

In general, composite materials are stronger than their base materials or offer other benefits, such as increased resistance, flexibility, or durability. For example, a part printed with nylon filament mixed with carbon fiber or fiberglass will be more resistant than one printed with non-composite nylon filament. The tradeoff is that composites are typically more expensive and require high printing temperatures.

There are countless material combinations available when it comes to composites, so you can find the perfect composite material for your project’s specific requirements. Double-check the physical, chemical, and mechanical compatibility of the prospective materials in your composite to make sure there are no conflicts.

Selecting the right 3D printing filament with SyBridge

Polycarbonate, nylon, and ABS are great material options for creating strong 3D printed parts. However, choosing the right material is just one aspect of creating a strong finished product. The strength of 3D printed materials is also affected by your design, post-processing steps, or printer settings.

When you partner with an experienced manufacturer like SyBridge, our team of experts will guide you through the material selection process, helping you find the best material for the best price based on your project’s needs. Also, we’ll help you optimize your part design for strength and manufacturability. Contact us today to get started on your next project.

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