Close



Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 21
  1. #11
    Super Moderator
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    KS
    Posts
    907
    Add jfkansas on Thingiverse
    No, but can epoxy PetG.

  2. #12
    Staff Engineer Davo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    1,084
    Follow Davo On Twitter Add Davo on Facebook Add Davo on Google+ Add Davo on Shapeways Add Davo on Thingiverse
    You don't select your media based on the printing process. You select your media based on the operational requirements of your finished product.

    For some purposes, wood is better than metal; for others, metal is better than wood.

    For some purposes, PLA meets the requirements; others require ABS; others, ninjaflex; others, PEEK.

    Unless you're just printing out non-functional items to stick on shelves; then you can use whatever smells best.

  3. #13
    Engineer-in-Training
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Posts
    256
    Quote Originally Posted by Hugues View Post
    Less brittle than what ? we would need a unit of measure here for brittleness...

    Higher melt point than what ? Proto Pasta High temp carbon PLA, once over treated, has a theoretical Heat Deflection Temperature (HDT) of more than 140C.
    Printed ABS is lower than this.

    Smoother and more naturally lubricated ? than what ? I believe Nylon is better. Would need specs here.

    Let's try to put some numbers behind our claims. Or else it's just a wasted discussion.
    This started as an ABS vs. PLA thread, so the "compared to what" is implied.

    Every filament has upsides and downsides: carbon PLA is expensive and will put a lot of extra wear on your nozzles, Nylon requires a lot of heat and is a pain to keep dry.

    As others have stated, you use the right tool for the job at hand.

  4. #14
    Engineer-in-Training
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    SE Wisconsin
    Posts
    206
    Quote Originally Posted by curious aardvark View Post
    The thing is abs was developed for injection moulding - that's why it shrinks, for easy release from the mold.
    As an injection molder I can say that this isn't strictly true. Yes, it does shrink, but all plastics do. Abs is chosen in our industry for mechanical properties first and foremost (cost is definitely second), not for shrinkage, although moldability is a high priority for guys like me who are the ones that have to use it. Shrinkage factors are accounted for during development of the tool.

    I like molding with abs for a few reasons, but ease of ejection isn't one of them.

    A properly designed tool can eject it's parts with only enough shrinkage to release a surface texture, and even then we rely on draft angle.

    That all being said, I walked in here thinking abs would be nice to use, for previously mentioned properties. Do you guys have any more links or information to alternatives that I can read?

    I'm very much new and totally inexperienced with 3d printing.
    Last edited by Ama-fessional Molder; 05-04-2016 at 03:32 PM.

  5. #15
    Engineer-in-Training Hugues's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Switzerland
    Posts
    219
    Quote Originally Posted by Ama-fessional Molder View Post
    As an injection molder I can say that this isn't strictly true. Yes, it does shrink, but all plastics do. Abs is chosen in our industry for mechanical properties first and foremost (cost is definitely second), not for shrinkage, although moldability is a high priority for guys like me who are the ones that have to use it. Shrinkage factors are accounted for during development of the tool.

    I like molding with abs for a few reasons, but ease of ejection isn't one of them.

    A properly designed tool can eject it's parts with only enough shrinkage to release a surface texture, and even then we rely on draft angle.

    That all being said, I walked in here thinking abs would be nice to use, for previously mentioned properties. Do you guys have any more links or information to alternatives that I can read?

    I'm very much new and totally inexperienced with 3d printing.
    Thanks to bring your experience in here, appreciated.

    Check out proto-pasta.com and www.polymaker.com, they have interesting filament. I'm using regularly their high temperature carbon fiber PLA and polycarbonate. Polymaker has also a Kickstarter campaign going on for a new filament that you can smooth out with IPA and a little nebuliser they will sell.

  6. #16
    Engineer-in-Training
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Brummen, Netherlands
    Posts
    265
    You don't select your media based on the printing process. You select your media based on the operational requirements of your finished product.
    I totally agree with Davo.

    As R&D enginbeer I do a lot of parts for use in testing rigs. These can operate up to 60C operating temperature and contain crude oil. The higher glass point, combined with mechanical strength (I often print at 100% infill), compatibility with crude oil AND the option to acetone smooth to get 100% watertight surfaces clinch it for me.

    There may be revolutionary new filaments that would do the same trick (although no acetone smooting AND being resistant to crude oil at the same time I guess), but they cost an arm and a leg. So why waste money relearning how to print the same parts with super-expensive single supplier filament (risky, they might go out of business or withdraw the product) when I have an unlimited supply of consistent quality material at low cost (and I use many, many kilo's of filament)?

    Yes it smells, but that is what fume hoods are for....

    I do test new filaments, but only for the future case when their specs exceed what I can do with ABS for a particular job.

    PS: and yes, i do use PETG and PLA too when they meet the products specs.
    Last edited by Alibert; 05-05-2016 at 02:45 AM.

  7. #17
    Technologist
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Lakeport, CA.
    Posts
    174
    My thinking is probably unnecessarily limited, but this is why I use ABS:

    The primary use of my printer is for making custom cutting tools (mostly fancy cookie cutters) for pottery/ceramics work I do.

    Each tool doesn't use very much filament (hmm..., I should collect some actual numbers on that). I can make many of them, and use relatively little filament, i.e., a spool of filament lasts a very long time.

    I would PREFER to use PLA. Its stiffness permits me to extrude the best cutting edge possible, BUT, because I use so little over time, the spools go "stale". I've tried various ways of protecting the filament, but haven't seen much diff between spools that are protected (tupperware and desiccant), and spools that are just left on the machine. I love the results I get from PLA, but I hate it when, say, half a spool "goes bad".

    So..., I live w/ ABS, because it doesn't go stale (can just be left on the machine), and the printed product is "good enough".

    I don't know anything about the "freshness dating" of other products.

  8. #18
    Technologist 3dex ltd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    149
    Follow 3dex ltd On Twitter Add 3dex ltd on Facebook
    Yes ABS is very resilient to moisture absorption etc...

    Personally, PLA works perfectly for me and therefore I tend not to use ABS.

  9. #19
    Engineer-in-Training
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    SE Wisconsin
    Posts
    206
    Quote Originally Posted by 3dex ltd View Post
    Yes ABS is very resilient to moisture absorption etc...
    Actually it is not. It absorbs water from the atmosphere pretty readily. It does not suffer chemical degradation as a result of processing it with water content, but you will see cosmetic defects.

  10. #20
    Student
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Stockholm
    Posts
    13

Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •