The document discusses various 3D printing technologies and materials. It provides information on common 3D printing materials like ABS, PLA, nylon and describes their properties and best printing practices. Examples of applications are given, such as using ABS to make printer components and polycarbonate for parts requiring heat resistance. Overall guidelines are provided on preparing models and converting them to G-code for 3D printing.

1. By Erick Wolf

2. Type Technologies Materials
Extrusion Fused deposition modeling (FDM)
Thermoplastics (e.g. PLA, ABS), HDPE,
eutectic metals, edible materials
Wire Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication (EBF3) Almost any metal alloy
Granular
Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) Almost any metal alloy
Electron beam melting (EBM) Titanium alloys
Selective heat sintering (SHS) Thermoplastic powder
Selective laser sintering (SLS)
Thermoplastics, metal
powders, ceramic powders
Powder bed and inkjet head 3d printing,
Plaster-based 3D printing (PP)
Plaster
Laminated Laminated object manufacturing (LOM) Paper, metal foil, plastic film
Light polymerized
Stereolithography (SLA) photopolymer
Digital Light Processing (DLP) photopolymer

3. Model
• A Model is made with CAD software
• Or from scanned images
gCode
• Model is “sliced” into layers
• X, Y, Z coordinates
Object
• 3D Printer uses gCode
• Deposits plastic, layer by layer

4. Many ways to a 3D model
 Design a model with CAD software such as:
Solidworks, AutoCad, SketchUp
 From a 3D scan of an object
 Download a free 3D model from many
sources

5.  A 3D model is saved as an STL format
 The STL file is “sliced”
 gCode is X Y Z coordinates, speed, temperature
and more
gCode

6.  3D Printer takes gCode
 Melts plastic
 Deposits layer by layer

7.  Each layer of plastic is deposited on top of the
previous layer
 The warm plastic bonds to the prior layer
 With each layer, an object slowly materializes

8. Materials:
 Called filament
 Standard size is 3mm and 1.75mm
 Looks like Weed Wacker wire
 Typically available in 1 or 2 pound spools.
 1 pound of ABS filament = $48

9.  ABS
 PLA
 PLA 4043D
 Nylon 618
 Nylon 645
 Bridge Nylon
 LayWOOD
 HIPS
 Soft PLA
 TPE
 LayBrick
 BendLay
 T-glase
 Colorfabb XT
 PVA
 Polycarbonate
 PET
 BronzeFill
 PC/ABS
 TPU

10.  Impact resistance and “toughness”
◦ Most commonly used thermoplastic
◦ Legos, automotive trim components, automotive bumper bars,
enclosures for electrical and electronic assemblies
◦ Useful characteristics within a temperature range from −20 to 80 °C
(−4 to 176 °F)
 3D Printing
◦ Stronger, more stable (long term), and less brittle than PLA, handles
higher temperatures
◦ General rule/design consideration – printed parts have 30% the
strength of injection molding
 Available in all colors, including gold, silver, fluorescent
hues and glow in the dark

11. Parts For
3D Printers
“We use this material
to make almost every
plastic component on
the Airwolf 3D printers
because of its ease of
printing and resistance
to high temperatures.”
-Airwolf 3D

13.  Prints well straight on glass with Wolfbite
(www.aw3d.com)
 Print Temperature: 240-250°C

14.  Heat bed REQUIRED
◦ Capable of at least 120C necessary for proper adhesion
◦ Risk of curling without proper surface preparation
 Large Prints will crack if not designed carefully or if enclosure is
not present
◦ Tall prints need to printed quicker
◦ Add perimeters for strength
 Heated build volume
◦ Can quickly wear components (motors, bearings, plastic)
◦ Servicing inconvenient

15.  Environmentally friendly
◦ Made from starch rich plants such as corn, wheat, and sugar
beets
 Starch is separated and dextrose goes through fermentation
process
◦ Bio-degradable and compostable
 Commercial compost – 30-45 days
 Easy to print
◦ Fun, smells pleasant (like waffles)
◦ Little-to-no warping
 Available in all colors, including gold, silver and
fluorescent hues (even hybrids)

16. 30” Batmobile

17.  Does not require a heated bed
◦ Prep surface with Airwolf red tape for best adhesion
 Fans on the extruder are mandatory
◦ Fans on extruder reduces chance of jams
◦ Fans on print surface can help cool printed surface for
appearance benefits
 Minimize excessive retraction
 Melting point: 195° - 220°C

18.  Perfect for large demonstrative models
◦ Little surface tension, so minimal chance of cracking
◦ No need for heated build chamber
 Print time is not an issue
◦ We have printed for 5 days straight with PLA without
warping/cracking
 However, will change form in direct sunlight
◦ Cellphone cases left in car will distort in less than a day
 Functional prototypes should be treated

19.  Taulman 3D 618, 645, Bridge Nylon Filament
 Nylon based co-polymer
 Excellent surface bonding
 Reduced water absorption and tear resistance
 Color: white/clear
 Dyeable
 Bridge
◦ Tends to be more flexible, but less susceptible to warping
◦ Print at 270C with bed at 60C
◦ Pet tape with glue stick for adhesion
◦ Used for Airwolf gears

20.  Polycarbonate is an extremely strong, impact
resistant thermoplastic
 Bleeding-edge technology and is currently
experimental
 Used in Airwolf extruders for heat resistance
 Unlike acrylic or plexiglass (they shatter and
crack), Polycarbonate tends to bend and deform
and after much effort will eventually stretch like
very hard rubber until it eventually breaks
 Hygroscopic and will absorb moisture from the air

22.  Extruded at or above 300C for best layer-layer
adhesion
 Many current 3D printer extruders are not
compatible with temperatures above 250C Make
sure your printer is capable of these temperatures
or your extruder may fail
 Print surface is PET tape and then glue stick on top
of that
 The faster and hotter an object is printed the more
clear the end results

23.  Combination of Polycarbonate with ABS
 Extruded at or above 280C for best layer-layer
adhesion (advanced extruder needed)
 High heat distortion is an improvement over ABS
 Low temperature impact resistance gives it an
advantage over polycarbonate.
 Works excellent for small/midsize prototypes that need
to “function”
 Heated chamber preferred for large, complex builds
 Print surface is PET tape and then glue stick on top of
that

24.  The printed wood will appear rough, similar to
MDF (Medium-Density Fiberboard)
 Paintable, grindable, carvable and stainable
 Heated bed is not necessary
 Available in two shades of brown
 Similar thermal durability as PLA

26.  Heated bed ideally at 60C
 Print Temperature: 175°C to 200°C
 Prep surface with blue painters tape
 Adding extra extrusion to the beginning of your print will
help prevent dry extrusion during the initial layers
 Increasing the retraction setting of your part during
slicing will reduce 'leakage' while the hotend is moving
between sections (especially over open areas)
 LAYWOO-D3 will harden over time,
for delicate parts allow 30-60 min
for your print to set
 Alternating the temperature during
your print (even by as little as 10
degrees) will vary the coloration,
giving it a 'grained' look

27.  High Impact Polystyrene is very similar to ABS in its
printing properties, but works with different
solvents (Limonene for HIPS vs acetone for ABS)
 Easy to paint and glue
 When printing, best to keep bed temps at 100C or
lower, but extrusion at normal ABS temps works
fine
 Color: White
 Use for support material on HD2x and use solution
to remove support material from part

28.  Water-soluble synthetic polymer
 It prints very easily and can be used as wash away
support structure when using more than one
extruder
 Can be used with a dual extruder 3D printer to add
support materials
 Best printing comes with a 100C heated bed and
slightly lower temps than ABS (190-210C)
 Color: Off white
 Dissolves in water !!! (quickly)
 Like Elmer’s glue

29.  Soft PLA is a flexible 3D printing material that feels
and acts much like rubber
 Support built into prints can be easily removed
(unlike traditional PLA)
 Can be used to make parts that can bend or must
flex to fit their environment - stoppers, belts,
springs, phone cases and more
 Biodegradeable

31.  Layer height is best kept down to maximize layer-to-
layer bonding because the parts need to be extra
strong as they are flexed in use
 Recommended Extrusion Temperatures: 200C-215C
 Sticks well to a bed that is layered with blue painters
tape
 Slow print speed for best results
 Keep bed at 60C

32.  Also referred to as “thermoplastic rubber”
 High elasticity: Extremely flexible and strong
 3D printed TPE feels much like rubber and bounces
back into shape
 REACH and RoHS 2002/95/EC Directive Compliant
 Filament shore hardness of approximately 85A
 Available in Red, Blue, White and Black

33. Sample Part
Washers

34.  Prep platform with blue
painter’s tape
 Recommended extruder
temperature: 240°C
 Recommended platform
temperature: 40°C

35.  Has a grey stone color
 Allows you to give your prints a smooth or stone-like
texture
 Ideal for jumbo-printers
 Objects are paintable and grind-able
 Contains super-fine milled chalk and harmless co-polyesters

36. Sample Object

37.  You can print LAYBRICK in a range of about 175°C
to 210°C
 In the lower range, the print will come out mostly
smooth, whereas at higher temperatures it will
begin to have a sandstone-like texture
 Prep surface with blue painters tape
 It is recommended to use a fan when printing at
higher temperatures (always to avoid jamming)

38.  Extremely translucent (91% of light passes
through) and is also flexible
 Print nearly clear items
 Safe for household and food products
 Compared to ABS it also absorbs far less moisture
from the air and thus cuts down on warping
significantly
 Soluble in brake cleaner

39. Sample Part

40.  It sticks great to a bed that is layered with blue
painter’s tape or on PET film with Elmer’s glue
stick
 Print it at a slower speed (around 20-30mm/s)
than normal materials
 Compared to ABS it also absorbs far less moisture
from the air and thus cuts down on warping
significantly
 Extrusion Temperatures: 230°C-240°C

41.  A low temp (212C) industrial 3D printing material
 Considered “water-clear” and “optically correct”
 A low TG means that parts printed in T-glase,
should not be exposed to high temperature use or
applications. The measured TG of T-glase is 78C
 Made of FDA approved polymers for direct food
contact/containers
 Not biodegradable like PLA however it is a
considered 100% reclaimable
 There are supposedly no odors or fumes when 3D
printing with T-glase

43.  Optimum temperature is about 212c to 224C, but
will print down to 210C and up to about 240C
(depending on speed)
 T-glase easily sticks to heated acrylic and glass
print tables (with PET film) for the smoothest
bottom surface possible
 Very low shrinkage makes printing large flat
surfaces a breeze
 Prints to acrylic, glass, Kapton and other platforms

44. Concept:
 Photos of your feet are turned into 3D
models
 Select FeetZ shoe elements and shoe is
custom made to form and function
needed
 FeetZ 3D prints shoes in TPE

45. Source: SAN DIEGO CITY BEAT

46. Pioneering intercontinental robotics:
 Uses 3D printers in its design and
manufacture of telepresence robots
 Large build platform of 12” x 8” and
heated bed enables Orbis to print larger
parts of the robots with a 3D printer

48. Erick Wolf
www.airwolf3d.com
(949) 478-2933
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