Above: EnvisionTec team holds the longest 3D printed chain/Image Credit: EnvisionTec
EnvisionTec, the global leader in high-accuracy desktop and full-production resin 3D printers, launched a revolutionary new material, E-RigidForm. It is EnvisionTec’s strongest ever 3D printing material till date.
The material is displayed by 3D printing the world’s longest (328-foot) 3D printed chain which symbolises its great strength. The chain was printed as one-piece. It was difficult to print, and weaker materials would have sagged while printing such a long and heavy item, but not E-RigidForm.
E-RigidForm
E-RigidForm is a polyurethane-like resin material that is ideal for prototyping as well as for end-use parts. The material has a high tensile strength of 68-73 MPa at 7% elongation at break. Company claims that E-RigidForm is one of the most durable printing materials ever developed in 3D printing.
According to CEO Al Siblani. “E-RigidForm is a breakthrough material for use on our 3SP line of 3D printers, which offer very large build areas without sacrificing speed and accuracy. A print job of this size and complexity would not have been possible before, simply because of the stiffness required during the 3D printing process for so many links and layers.”
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3D Printed Chain
Above: EnvisionTec Mega Chain 3D Printed in 16 Layers/Image Credit: EnvisionTec
EnvisionTec accomplished quite a tricky task by 3D printing the ‘Mega-Chain’. It took nearly three weeks to design the chain. The chain features more than 6144 links, each measuring 1.5 inches and aarranged in 16 layers in the printer. It was printed in EnvisionTec’s largest resin 3D printer, a Xede 3SP, having a build area of 18 x 18 x 18 inches.
Above: EnvisionTec Mega Chain is 328-foot long/Image Credit: EnvisionTec
The print took 99 hours to print, which is more than 4 days of continuous printing. It is noted that the print was so complex that is required a high-performance computer with supreme processing power to generate the layers and supports for the print job.
The chain was designed by EnvisionTEC 3D Builder Robert Montes with digital processing and 3D printing support from colleagues Erica Finkowski, Jason Spurlock and Josue Nunes.
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