Page 9 - Plastics News December 2017

FROM THE EDITOR'S PEN

Increasing opportunities - The 3D effect

ith the advent of the growing 3D Printing technology across industry the applications
W(value) have changed and this has further changed the conventional working module.
There seems to be a sea change the way things are happening, of course for the betterment. We
have two innovations to talk about one wherein MIT engineers have developed a new desktop
3D printer that can perform up to 10 times faster than that of the conventional counterparts
and second, by A shculamn that has developed new material basically a glass reinforced nylon
for selective laser sintering.
New 3D printer

MIT engineers have developed a new desktop 3D printer that can perform up to 10 times faster
than that of the conventional counterparts. While most of the common printers may fabricate
a few Lego-sized bricks in one hour, the new model can print it just few minutes. The key to the
nimble design lies in the printer’s compact printhead, which consists of two new speed-enhancing
components: a screw mechanism that feeds polymer material through a nozzle at high force; and
a laser, built into the printhead, that rapidly heats and melts the material, making it to flow faster
through the nozzle. Engineers at MIT, believe the new printer demonstrate the potential for 3D
printing to become a more viable production technique. The team also displayed the new designed
by printing several detailed, handheld 3D objects, including small eyeglass frames, a bevel gear, and
a miniature replica of the MIT dome each, built from scratch within few minutes that would have Mr. Rajiv B.Tolat
taken perhaps an hour or so with an conventional printer.
However, I have an observation to make that as the extruded plastic is fed through the nozzles at
such high forces and temperatures that a printed layer can still be slightly molten by the time the
printer is extruding a second layer feel. Thankfully they are currently working on possibilities by
which the path of the printhead can be optimized and further also plan to explore new materials to
feed through the nozzle. The capability to print fast opens the door to many exciting opportunities
and I am sure this would be for the betterment.
Special Application Materials
While working on 3D Printing is fairly competitive one of the chief challenges the burgeoning industry
additive manufacturing industry faces, however, is finding new materials with which 3D printers can
work. A. Schulman Inc. along with its French partner, Prodways Technologies have unveiled their
first product, a glass-reinforced nylon 6 sold under the name PA6-12T. The end result is a material
that produces parts that are tougher, more rigid and more heat resistant than competing materials.
This means PA6-12T can be used to make parts that are not possible with other materials, including
for industries that manufacture automotive, aerospace or medical parts or devices. The material
is designed for selective laser sintering. The new product can compete with or replace nylon 12
used in SLS. The new PA6-12T has specialty applications and is definitely easy to use, and it's very,
very rigid. The product is being launched in Europe now and will hit the U.S. market in the first
quarter of 2018.

One good thing is as more materials become available, the number of opportunities to use 3D
printing increases for manufacturers in country as well.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year...
Rajiv B.Tolat
Hon. Editor
publication@aipma.net

9 December 2017 Plastics News