Top 5 Exotic Filament materials to use in your next project

When it comes to 3D printing, the choice of filament material can significantly impact the final product's quality, durability, and appearance. While PLA and ABS are the most common options, there are plenty of exotic filaments available that can add a unique touch to your projects. In this blog post, we'll explore five of the most exciting and versatile exotic filament materials offered by ThinkRobotics.

1. AQUATEK X1 ADVANCED USM UNIVERSAL SUPPORT MATERIAL

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Our AquaTek™ X1 Advanced USM Universal Support Material is an all-new, highly advanced universal water-soluble support formulated specifically for printing complicated parts. AquaTek™ X1 Advanced USM is readily dissolved in warm water and has excellent adhesion to the broadest range of materials, including our popular advanced composites like CarbonX™ Carbon Fiber Nylons and FibreX™ Glass Fiber Nylons.

Benefits of AquaTek™ X1 Advanced USM-

• Readily soluble in warm water
• Eco-friendly and safe to dispose in house or office drains
• Ideal support material for the widest array of materials, including many which are infamous for being difficult to support!
• Low moisture absorption while exposed to the air during printing, getting less tacky over time than similar support materials

Filament Specifications-

1.75mm and 2.85mm +/- 0.05mm in diameter

2. THERMAX PEI ULTEM 1010 [CERTIFIED]

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ThermaX™ PEI 1010 is an ultra-performance filament made using ULTEM™ 1010 resin from Sabic. This material boasts some of the highest performance in the industry with excellent mechanical, thermal, and chemical resistance properties.

We manufacture this ultra-performance 3D printing filament using ULTEM 1010 PEI (polyetherimide) resin from Sabic. Filaments made from ULTEM 1010 resin offer the ability to create parts with excellent properties at elevated temperatures due to a high glass transition temperature (Tg) of 217°C.

PEI is an amorphous, high-performance polymer that combines excellent thermal properties, exceptional dimensional stability, inherent flame retardancy, and good chemical resistance.

Benefits of ULTEM 1010 PEI Include-

 

• High thermal properties, with a Tg of 217°C
• Inherently flame-resistant
• Long-term hydrolytic stability
• Excellent dimensional stability, low heat creep sensitivity, and a very low, uniform coefficient of thermal expansion creates highly reproducible part-to-part dimensions
• Exceptional strength and modulus, even at elevated temperatures

ULTEM 1010 PEI Applications

Aerospace: ULTEM 1010 offers flame resistance, low smoke, and low toxicity for aerospace components. It's used in personal units, oxygen panels, ventilation systems, connectors, and more.

Automotive & Transportation: ULTEM resins are strong, chemically resistant, and thermally stable, making them ideal for replacing metals in applications like transmission components, throttle bodies, and ignition components.

Electronics: ULTEM is a great choice for demanding electrical applications, including connectors, MCB components, hard disk drive internals, FOUPs, PCBs, and fuel cell components.

Specifications-

1.75mm and 2.85mm +/- 0.05mm in diameter

3. THERMAX PEEK

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ThermaX™ PEEK (PolyEtherEtherKetone) is one of the highest-performance polymers in the world. PEEK has exceptional mechanical, thermal, and chemical resistance properties making it a go-to material in some of the most demanding applications where failure is not an option.

Benefits of PEEK Include-

• Inherently flame-resistant and self-extinguishing
• Long-term hydrolytic stability even above 250°C
• Outstanding resistance to a broad range of chemicals, including automotive fluids, fully halogenated hydrocarbons, alcohols, and aqueous solutions
• Low smoke and toxic gas emissions
• Excellent dimensional stability with low heat creep, low and uniform coefficient of thermal expansion, giving PEEK highly reproducible part-to-part dimensions
• High thermal properties with a Tg of 143°C, CUT of 240-260°C, and Tm of 343°

Typical PEEK Applications Include-

Seals, Gears, Bushings, Bearings, Pump and Compressor Components

Industries Served: Auto, Aerospace, Defense, Semiconductor, Oil & Gas

Specifications-

1.75mm and 2.85mm +/- 0.05mm in diameter

4. THERMAX PPSU (250g)

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ThermaX™ PPSU [Polyphenyl Sulfone] is considered one of the highest performance plastics in the industry. This high-temperature amorphous polymer that offers excellent mechanical, thermal, and chemical resistance properties.

Polyphenylsulfone (PPSF or PPSU) is a high-temperature aromatic sulfone polymer. Long considered to be one of the highest performance polymers in the plastics world. PPSU has excellent thermal and chemical resistance, making it well suited for demanding applications in automotive, aerospace, electronics, defense, industrial, medical, semi-con applications. Previously only available to Stratasys® customers – now you can print with this ultra performance polymer.

Benefits of ThermaX™ PPSU-

• Very high thermal properties superior to Ultem™ 1010
• Tg of 220°C and HDT of 205°C
• High Environmental Stress Crack Resistance (ESCR)

Benefits of 3DXSTAT™ Include-

• Consistent surface resistivity
• Improved retention of impact & elongation
• Low particulate contamination
• Minimal contribution to outgassing and ionic contamination

Filament Specifications-

1.75mm and 2.85mm +/- 0.05mm in diameter

1.37g/cm3 density

5. ThinkRobotics Ender5+ Upgrade with Duet 3 6HCMB

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The ThinkRobotics Ender 5+ (Ender 5 Plus) with BondTech extruder upgrade and Duet3 6HC MainBoard is our latest offering in the world of upgraded 3D printers that enable 3D printing 24/7 365 days a year with exotic materials like Carbon Fiber Nylon.

These are the 3D printers that we use at our Printing Farm, producing carbon fiber plastic products for our industrial customers, and fulfilling a variety of industrial 3d printing projects.

Technical Specifications- Ender-5 Plus FDM 3D Printer Properties

 

• Modeling Technology: FDM（Fused Deposition Modeling）
• Printing Size: 350x350x400mm
• Chassis Size : 632x666x619mm
• N.W. : 18.2KG
• Power Parameters: Input: 100-240V AC; Output: DC 24V 21A; Max 25A;
• Print Accuracy: ±0.1mm
• BL Touch Bed leveling sensor
• Filament Sensor for filament run out detection

Conclusion

In conclusion, the world of 3D printing filament materials is vast and ever-expanding. By exploring exotic options like AquaTek X1 Advanced USM, ThermaX PEI 1010, ThermaX PEEK, ThermaX PPSU, and the ThinkRobotics Ender 5+ Upgrade, you can unlock new possibilities for your projects and create truly exceptional parts. These materials offer unique properties, such as improved support removal, high-temperature resistance, and enhanced mechanical performance, making them ideal for demanding applications across various industries. With the right filament choice and a quality 3D printer, you can bring your most ambitious designs to life.