Zortrax is introducing new products for use with the Zortrax Endureal industrial 3D printer, including two comprehensive metal 3D printing sets, Zortrax Full Metal Packages for 17-4 PH and 316L, as well as a low-melt VICTREX PAEK AM™ 200. (a filament, which has a lower melting point than PEEK and can be extruded in lower temperatures).
Both Zortrax Full Metal Packages come with everything you need to get started with metal 3D printing, including either BASF Ultrafuse® 316L or BASF Ultrafuse® 17-4 PH – metal-polymer filaments from our partner, BASF Forward AM, a global chemical leader. VICTREX AM™ 200 low-melt PAEK filament is a high-performance polymer from the same thermoplastics family as Z-PEEK that provides comparable, or even better, 3D printing results in some areas.
Zortrax Full Metal Packages
BASF Ultrafuse® 316L, a filament composed of 80% 316L stainless steel and 20% polymer, is included in the Zortrax Full Metal Package 316L. 316L is a surgical-grade stainless steel that contains more than 10% chromium. When this chemical element comes into contact with oxygen, it forms a thin coating layer on the model’s surface, protecting it from corrosion.
The parts 3D printed with BASF Ultrafuse® 316L have tensile strength of up to 561 MPa, yield strength of 251 MPa, elongation at break of up to 53%, and a non-magnetic microstructure. All of these characteristics make this metal-polymer filament ideal for 3D printing complex end-use parts, automotive components, medical equipment, chemical pipes or valves, tool and fixture elements, and various functional prototypes.
Zortrax Full Metal Package 17-4 PH includes BASF Ultrafuse® 17-4 PH, an industrial composite filament made up of 80% hardened steel and 20% polymer. Models 3D printed with this filament have tensile strength of up to 1004 MPa, yield strength of 764 MPa, elongation at break of up to 4%, and a magnetic microstructure. BASF Ultrafuse® 17-4 PH can be used successfully for all elements that require significant hardness, such as chemical pipes or valves, strong metal end-use parts, medical equipment, automotive parts, tool and fixture elements, and functional prototypes.
“When using metallic powder filaments for metal 3D printing, microcracks or brittle spots on the models are the common issues users struggle with. The reason is usually the improper inner structure, which prevents the target items from preserving all the properties desired for metal. Being aware of that, we focused on creating the solution, ensuring that models have the right structure, allowing them to be applied just like regular steel. We succeeded, as it is obtained on Zortrax Endureal during the very printing process.”
– Michał Siemaszko, Head of Research and Development, Zortrax
Siemaszko added, “Moreover, our new Zortrax Full Metal Packages come together with, amongst other elements, high quality metal-polymer filaments by BASF Forward AM, and a voucher for professional post-processing in Elnik Systems GmbH, where the 3D prints undergo proprietary catalytic debinding and sintering processes.”
Victrex PAEK AM™ 200 FIL
Another first for Zortrax Endureal is the VICTREX AMTM 200 low-melt PAEK filament, a high-performance polymer from the same thermoplastics family as Z-PEEK. The most important characteristics of VICTREX AM™ 200 FIL are its low viscosity, which allows for easier flow through the nozzle, slow crystallisation rate, which allows for strong interlayer bonding and increases tensile strength along the Z-axis, high dimensional stability, and minimal warpage.
“VICTREX AM™200 has greater strength in the Z-axis than PEEK, and comparable strength in the X and Y axes. All the other parameters are similar to those of PEEK. PAEK, however, is much easier to print. This high-performance polymer is a great choice for 3D printing heavy duty parts that can replace metal components in aviation, marine, advanced engineering, or oil industries. PAEK can also be successfully used when 3D printing load bearing components, elements of tools, structural frames, or parts that must withstand high temperatures.”
– Dawid Piastowski, Materials Development, Zortrax
When the manufactured models require chemical resistance, significant mechanical strength, the ability to 3D print with soluble support, and the ability to withstand extreme temperatures, VICTREX AM™ 200 FIL is a perfect fit every time. The polymer combines all of the benefits of PEEK and adds higher strength values, particularly in the Z-axis, less shrink and warpage, and soluble support compatibility. Furthermore, it has a larger process window, which often improves outcomes and design freedom when working with PAEK.
