1. Better nature, better life.
Better nature, better life.
www.esun3d.net
Applications of 3D FDM
Printing Material
SHENZHEN ESUN INDUSTRIAL
CO.,LTD.
2. Better nature, better life.
Content
2
1 1.FDM
2.PLA applications 2 in 3D printing
3 3.PLA modifications
4 4.PVA applications in 3D printing
5 5.PVA modifications
6 6.ESUN 3D filament
3. Better nature, better life.
1.FDM
1.1 FDM technology
Esun
Filament spool
Extruder feeds and retracts the
thermoplastic filament in precise amounts
Nozzle head heats the filament and turns
the flow of the extruded material on and off
Extruded material is laid down in
a specific diameter on the bed
Stepper motors or servo motors, controlled
by computer-aided manufacturing (CAM)
software package, move the extruder and
nozzle head in XYZ directions
4. Better nature, better life.
1.FDM
1.2 Why is the FDM3D sector growing so fast?
a. Open-source software reduces the technology threshold, manufacturers focus on
software optimization and merchants focus on structural design, thus resulting in
the involvement of more companies.
b. Market competition leads to decrease in 3D printer price.
Open-source
Pricing decreased
Variety in
printing materials
Cost
effectiveness
Government
funding
c. Increased variety in printing materials and
reasonable price attracts more attention.
d. Improvements in cost effectiveness allow
entry into individual consumer market.
e. Government funding supports 3D
printing in different countries.
5. Better nature, better life.
1.3 Main problems of FDM3D material
1 Stability of filaments.
Easily
crack Bubble
Block the
extruder Inaccurate
diameter
Easily
warp
1.FDM
6. Better nature, better life.
1.FDM
1.3 Main problems of FDM3D material
2 Limited functional materials for unlimited applications.
3 Material fluency compared with prototype speed.
4 Protection of environment and harm to the human body.
5 Economical pricing.
Solution ~ Esun Filament
7. Better nature, better life.
1.4 Standards for good FDM3D material
Good
Quality
Materials
Variety
Economical
Environmentally
Friendly
1.FDM
8. Better nature, better life.
2.PLA applications in 3D printing
2.1 What's PLA？
Poly(lactic acid) or polylactide (PLA) is a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester derived
from renewable resources. Due to its wide applications and environmentally friendly
nature, PLA is regarded as “one new industrial revolution in Polymers”.
From renewable resources, such
as:
• Corn starch (in the United States)
• Tapioca roots, chips or starch
(mostly in Asia)
• Sugarcane (in the rest of the
world)
PLA: Poly(lactic acid) or Polylactide
9. Better nature, better life.
2.PLA applications in 3D printing
2.2 Advantages of PLA
Bio-based Environmentally Low shrink rate
Friendly Biocompatibility Transparent
10. Better nature, better life.
2.PLA applications in 3D printing
http://news.typeamachines.com/
Name: Turbofan
Material: Esun PLA
Company: Type A
Machines
(USA)
Place: BAY MAKER FAIRE,
USA
Date: May, 2013.
11. Better nature, better life.
2.PLA applications in 3D printing
2.3 Improvements of PLA for FDM3D printing
Although PLA has good performance, it
still requires some modifications
before it can be effectively used for
3D printing.
1. Control Melt Flow Index.
2. Match crystallization and rapid
prototype technology.
3. Improve Impact Strength.
4. Improve temperature resistance.
5. Lifetime study on PLA.
6. Functional optimization.
12. Better nature, better life.
3.PLA modifications
3.1 2D nucleation system — control PLA cooling
speed
Table 1 Influence of crystallization on PLA solidification
time
Item Unit PLA1001
1D
structure
2D
structure
ABS
Solidification
Time
S 15 10 6 10
Tensile Yield
Strength
MPa 63 60 58 45
PLA with poor
cooling speed
PLA with good
cooling speed
13. Better nature, better life.
3.PLA modifications
3.2 Improvement of PLA Impact Strength
3.2.1 Single toughness improvement system
(STIS) is limited to increase PLA toughness
Table 2 Influence of STIS on PLA performance
Item Unit PLA
PLA: Ingredient (95:5) PLA: Ingredient
(90:10)
Ingredient
1#
Ingredient
2#
Ingredient
3#
Ingredient
4# Ingredient 2#
Tensile Yield
Strength MPa 69.1 48.0 44.2 60.4 46.7 40.4
Elongation at
Break % 5.5 5.5 9.8 3.4 9.6 13.1
Flexural Strength MPa 61.1 65.0 53.9 53.7 53.3 49.4
Flexural Modulus MPa 2732 2768 1959 2830 2090 1678
Impact Strength KJ/m2 3.5 5.2 4.72 4.63 4.27 5.55
14. Better nature, better life.
3.2.2 Influence of added ingredient on PLA performance
8
7
6
5
Figure 1 Influence of ingredient
on PLA toughness
54
52
50
48
46
44
42
40
38
36
34
32
30
28
26
24
22
20
Figure 2 Influence of ingredient on PLA
Tensile Yield Strength and Flexural Strength
0 5 10 15
4
Notched Izod Impact (kJ/m2)
Toughening Agent Content （%）
0 5 10 15
34
Tensile Strength (MPa)
Toughening Agent Content（%）
18
Elongation at Break (%)
3.PLA modifications
16. Better nature, better life.
3.PLA modifications
3.3 Presence of rigid particles help reduce the shift between
material clamping tooth
Toughened PLA1# 2# 3# 4#
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
4.72
6.35
4.32
5.71 5.54
Rigid Particle Types Notched Izod Impact (kJ/m2)
AIM : Increase friction between clamping
RESULT : Improve printing
44.2 43.6
tooth, reduce relative shift and
ensure stable material feeding
precision, size stability and warp
resistance.
55.6
49.2 48.8
Toughened PLA 1# 2# 3# 4#
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Tensile Strength (MPa)
Rigid Particle Types
Figure 5 Influence of different
rigid particle on PLA toughness
Figure 6 Influence of different rigid
particle on Tensile Yield Strength
Presence of certain
rigid particles
17. Better nature, better life.
3.PLA modifications
3.4 Improvement of PLA printing fluency
Just like writing needs smooth ink flow, 3D printing with FDM technology
needs materials with good fluency. Material fluency cannot be too fast
or too slow, it must match the printing speed. This ensures that printing
precision is maintained and not degraded.
Material fluency is closely related to PLA melting speed, where Esun
employs the following factors to ensure optimal PLA melting speed:
1. Adjust PLA molecular weight and distribution when synthesizing PLA.
2. Further addition of molecular weight ingredient to control PLA melting
speed.
3. Adopt composite lubrication system to control PLA melting speed.
4. Adopt sheet structure and fiber material to adjust PLA melting speed.
18. Better nature, better life.
3.PLA modifications
3.5 PLA Lifetime adjustment
1. Method adopted: Generation of various compounds to adjust PLA lifetime
2. Current compounds tested: PLA/PHA, PLA/PCL, PLA/PBS, PLA/PPC,
PLA/PBC, PLA/PEG by melting mix, and printing body organs via FDM
technology for medical application.
19. Better nature, better life.
4.PVA applications in 3D printing
4.1 What's PVA？
PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) is a water-soluble synthetic polymer. Two
methods are usually used to obtain PVA.
1. Oil Method:
Ethene Vinyl acetate Polyvinyl alcohol
2. Carbide method:
Ethyne Vinyl acetate Polyvinyl alcohol
20. Better nature, better life.
4.PVA applications in 3D printing
4.2 Advantages of PVA
Environmentally Low shrink rate
Friendly Good adhesion
Soluble in
water under
normal temp.
21. Better nature, better life.
4.PVA applications in 3D printing
4.3 Applications of PVA
Remove supporting structures due to
PVA’s water soluble property.
Co-printing with many materials possible
due to PVA’s good adhesive property.
Safe, environmentally friendly and low-carbon
characteristic.
PVA's dissolving process
22. Better nature, better life.
4.PVA applications in 3D printing
4.4 Defects of pure PVA in FDM 3D printing
2
Low fluency
for printing
1
High melting
temperature,
hard to
plasticize
3
Cannot print
continuously
23. Better nature, better life.
5.PVA modifications
5.1 Improvement on plasticity and printing temperature
Melt Temperature (°C)
Plasticizer Content (phr)
Figure 7 Influence of plasticizer on PVA plasticity and printing
24. Better nature, better life.
5.PVA modifications
5.2 Improvement on printing fluency
Figure 8 Influence of ingredient on adjustment of PVA melting speed
25. Better nature, better life.
5.PVA modifications
5.3 Improvement on continuous printing of PVA
1. Increasing friction between clamping
teeth and pressure bearing capacity
— to ensure stable material feeding.
2. Reducing the expansion coefficient and
shrink ratio of filament
— to improve dimensional stability and
anti-warp capacity, which improves
printing precision.
Esun
More friction
Less shrinkage
26. Better nature, better life.
6.ESUN 3D Filament
6.1 About ESUN
Established in 2002 and located in Shenzhen Special Economic
Zone, Shenzhen Esun Industrial Co., Ltd. is a high-tech enterprise
specializing in researching, developing, producing and operating
degradable polymer materials, such as PLA and Polymorph. ESUN
owns three different R&D centers, which specialize in material
syntheses, modification and application.
Since 2007, ESUN has began to research 3D printing materials. So
far, ESUN has successfully developed PLA, ABS, PVA (water
soluble support), conductive, HIPS, PA, Polymorph, and PC
filaments etc. With the exclusive professional formulas and
professional production lines, ESUN 3D filament is characterized
by absolutely round shape, accurate diameter, high tenacity,
uniform color shade and stable melting point.
33. Better nature, better life.
6.ESUN 3D Filament
Esun 3D filaments are compatible with major 3D printer brands, such as:
Makerbot Up
Suitable for
Makerbot,Up,RepRap,Cubify
and any other FDM 3D
printers !
Cubify RepRap
34. Better nature, better life.
R&D on
PLA
1. PLA filament
2. ABS filament
6.ESUN 3D Filament
R&D on 12 colors of
ABS and PLA filament
1. Soft PLA filament
2. Nylon filament
3. Conductive filament
4. PC filament
Powder and other
material for various
3D printers
1. FDM special filament
2. SLA material
3. SLS material
1. PVA filament
2. HIPS filament
3. Fluorescence filament
2002
2007
2011
2012 2014
2013 After 2014
