We’ve already told you about INTAMSYS and its additive manufacturing solutions for PEEK and other high-performance functional materials such as PEKK, ULTEM and PPSU. In an interview with the Shanghai-based company’s co-founder and CEO, Charles Han, he told us that some manufacturing requirements can only be met with HPPs (high-performance polymers), as these materials have special properties such as high-temperature resistance, acid resistance and biocompatibility that enable their use in critical requirement applications.
Of course, INTAMSYS was present at the largest additive manufacturing trade show in Germany, Formnext. During the event, the company showcased its FUNMAT PRO 610 HT (https://top3dshop.com/product/intamsys-funmat-pro-610-ht-3d-printer) solution for the first time in Europe. Similar to the other solutions, this machine was designed to process high-performance materials such as PEEK, PEKK, ULTEM and others. The manufacturer guarantees that forming is not a problem with this machine, thanks to a double nozzle that can reach 500 °C and a heating chamber of 300 °C. In addition, the FUNMAT PRO 610 HT has a construction volume of 610 x 508 x 508 mm for the production of large parts.
The manufacturer explains that the key to avoiding deformation was to design a high-build chamber that could achieve an extremely constant temperature to avoid deforming and breaking the object. As a result, the 3D printed parts have a very high mechanical strength and can withstand a higher mechanical load. With the FUNMAT PRO 610 HT, the post-processing step was automated and integrated into the machine. When we talk about post-processing of HPP parts, we generally talk about annealing. Annealing is a heat treatment that alters the physical and sometimes chemical properties of a material to increase its ductility and decrease its hardness. In other words, this process makes it possible to reduce stresses and strains to which any 3D printed part is subjected. It is also crucial for dimensional stabilization and improving the physical properties of the part.
Application-wise, INTAMSYS has designed this solution for industrial applications. More precisely, for small series and for all demanding applications such as automotive, aerospace, oil & gas, medical, etc. We can take the aerospace industry as an example, which was actually the first industry to adopt and implement additive manufacturing to produce parts. This industry is looking for parts that are lightweight yet durable, a requirement that HPP 3D printing can meet.
In fact, many demanding aerospace applications require the use of excellent mechanical strength and proprietary flame retardant parts. INTAMSYS recommends the use of ULTEM 9085 because its high strength-to-weight ratio and FST (flame, smoke and toxicity) meet the stringent requirements of the aerospace industry.
The FUNMAT PRO 610 HT is the latest addition to the INTAMSYS FUNMAT series of 3D printers. As explained earlier, it combines a high build volume and a thermally-aligned design that can operate at very high temperatures. More information can be found HERE.
