Polymer solutions
Are your product performance criteria hard to meet by the existing materials currently available on the market?
The Roffelsen 3D R&D team can develop 3D materials to exceed your highest expectations!
Polymer solutions of Roffelsen 3D comprise all commodity polymers with melting temperatures up to 300 degr. C.
Please contact us to discuss the possibilities.
ASA
Acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) is an opaque thermoplastic terpolymer. ASA offers properties similar to ABS but is suitable for long-term external use. Its resistance to climatic conditions provides it with durability over time. ASA is notably used in the automotive industry.
Polymer features:
- High weather resistance
- High UV resistance
- Impact resistance
- Higher heat resistance than PLA (around 85°C)
- Not sensitive to moisture
- ASA causes limited smell during extrusion
ABS
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is a thermoplastic polymer offering high impact resistance and is relatively rigid and lightweight. Due to its excellent surface appearance and decorative qualities. It has excellent mechanical properties and can be used for objects that require toughness and durability. With a thermal resistance of up to 85 °C, ABS can be used in warm environments. ABS is widely used in applications such as domestic appliances, telephony, IT equipment and toys.
Polymer features:
- Impact resistance
- Higher heat resistance than PLA (around 85°C)
- Not sensitive to moisture
- ABS causes a smell during extrusion
- Limited UV stability, when no additional UV stabilizer additives are applied
- Mechanical properties can be increased by means of incorporating glass-, carbon or aramid fibers
- Fire retardant properties can be increased by adding additives
HIPS
High Impact PolyStyrene (HIPS) is a thermoplastic with good impact and heat resistant properties. It is highly impermeable, enabling it to be used in container applications free of any leakage. HIPS is solvable in D-limonene, and can therefore be used as a supporting material. It is used in the manufacture of packaging and also household appliances.
Polymer features
- Good impact resistance
- Good heat resistance
- Soluble in D-Limonene
PETG
Polyethylene terephtalate glycol (PETG) is a saturated polyester polymer. PETG offers a good balance between flexibility and mechanical resistance. It also has a good translucidity. PETG is used to produce bottles, food containers, credit cards and loyalty cards.
Polymer features:
- Odorless
- Offers a perfect balance between flexibility and mechanical properties
- Mechanical properties can be increased by means of incorporating glass- or carbon fibers
PC
Polycarbonate (PC) can be used for various engineering applications. It’s one of the toughest print materials, making it a perfect choice for printing strong objects. PC has a high mechanical strength, good UV stability, and high thermal resistance. It retains its form at temperatures up to 110 °C. In addition, PC has a good dimensional stability and has flame-retardant characteristics. These properties make it suitable for lighting, molds, engineering parts, tools, functional prototyping, and short-run manufacturing.
PC requires a high temperature to print.
PLA
Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biosourced homopolymer obtained from corn starch and is biodegradable conform EN 13432 standards (temperature 58°C,
90% biodegradation within a maximum of 6 months).
Polylactic acid (PLA) is a natural alternative to polyethylene. PLA is easy to print at low temperatures and is odorless. It provides a good surface quality, is somewhat glossy, and prints details with a high resolution. It has a low shrinkage.
Overall, PLA is not as tough as more technical materials but does have a high tensile strength. It is not recommended for functional and mechanical parts. Items printed with PLA can lose their mechanical properties and may become brittle over time, because of the moisture sensitivity of the material. Temperature resistance of PLA is limited to approximately 60°C.
PP
Polypropylene (PP) is a commonly used polymer in the industry. PP has a high toughness and fatigue resistance. This means that PP retains its shape after torsion, bending, or flexing. It has very low friction, allowing parts that are in contact with each other to move smoothly over each other.
PP is also semi-flexible, has good chemical resistance and high electrical resistance, so it is ideal as an electrical insulator.
Another key advantage of PP is that it has a low density, making it perfect for the creation of lightweight products.
Polymer features:
- High weather resistance
- Good impact resistance
- Reasonable flexibility
- Higher heat resistance than PLA (around 110°C). These properties can be increased by means of additives.
- Not sensitive to moisture
- Low odor
- Low weight
- Electrical resistant
- Mechanical properties can be increased by means of incorporating glass-fibers
- UV- and fire retardancy properties can be increased by means of additives
PA6
Polyamide 6 (PA6, Nylon 6) is a well-known material used for printing tools, functional prototypes, and end-use parts. It combines strength, impact resistance, and flexibility. PA6 is very durable due to its abrasion resistance and corrosion resistance to alkalis and organic chemicals.
Polymer features:
- Good impact resistance
- High heat resistance (around 180°C)
- Limited moisture uptake (upto 4%)
- Mechanical properties can be increased by means of incorporating glass-, carbon or aramid fibers
TPU
Thermoplastic PolyUrethane (TPU) is a semi-flexible material for use in applications that demand the qualities of rubber and plastic. TPU is flexible, strong, and can withstand high impacts without deforming or breaking. It is also resistant to many common industrial oils and chemicals and easily resists normal wear and tear.
TPU is not recommended for applications that will be exposed to UV light, moisture, or high temperatures for extended periods.
