Although 3D printers are rapidly being accepted by manufacturers around the world, 3D printing technology is at least one insufficiency compared to many other production technologies: the diversity of materials. Simply put, a large number of commonly used industrial materials are still not available for 3D printing, which greatly limits the scope of application of the technology. Today, polymer giant 3M has made a substantial breakthrough in this area – through a new patented technology, they have successfully achieved 3D printing of perfluoroPTFE polymers. PTFE is a very popular industrial grade polymer.
This is a very important development because PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) is a very useful non-conductive material that is often seen in our daily lives. It is virtually insoluble in all solvents and has a low coefficient of friction, making it ideal for use as a non-stick coating for pots, tubes and various industrial applications. In addition, bacteria and other pathogens are also difficult to survive on this material, which makes it suitable for a variety of medical applications, such as transplant materials used in surgical procedures.
As an expert in the polymer field, 3M and its subsidiaries DyneonGmbH and DyneonB.V. are also world-leading manufacturers of PTFE and similar materials such as fluororubber. According to China's 3D printing network, many fluoropolymers have a large number of applications in the fields of oil and gas, chemical, automotive, aerospace, etc. This breakthrough in 3D printing technology is also applicable to them.
Often, the use of PTFE and other fluoropolymers to make parts often requires the use of costly conventional processes – which typically generate large amounts of waste and make it difficult to make very complex structures. While 3D printing has the potential to provide a more sustainable alternative manufacturing solution, it can minimize unused waste by using unused materials for subsequent print jobs.
According to Paula Johnson-Mason, global director of fluoropolymers at 3M, their patent-pending breakthrough technology opens the door to a variety of applications that have hitherto been impossible. “3D printing technology is evolving at a rapid rate and has made exciting progress in the processing of perfluoropolymers, especially for PTFE, which is a real leap,” she said. “This new manufacturing process will allow us to gain greater flexibility and speed up the product design cycle as spare parts can now be manufactured directly digitally without the need to prepare new molds.”
Non-3D printed PTFE parts
Although 3M did not specifically point out how their patent-pending breakthrough technology can achieve 3D printing of these materials, the company has disclosed that they are exploring the use of this material for on-demand 3D printing solutions for spare parts and custom parts. Program. In particular, this fluoropolymer 3D printing service will be used to make parts with particularly complex geometries, and PTFE materials will be the first to be used in this application. Applications such as 3D printed seals, coatings or linings have not been mentioned so far, and today these have the potential to be realized.
(Editor)
