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    Best filament for durability as bushings

    We use 3D printing for small scale mass production of over 20 models and have been printing more than a quarter million parts per year for the past several years using two Makergear M2 printers. We print batches of parts which are used for a variety of purposes in the production of our doors & windows in Belize, Central America. We have looked into importation for these parts, and the price is much higher, R&D takes much longer, and we do not have the demand for most suppliers to provide us with the small QTYs we need. So, we are VERY HAPPY to use 3D printing technology for our needs in this capacity.

    We have done a bit of testing with PLA and PETG, but turned to ABS as the filament of choice for its strength & durability for producing parts like bushings which must stand up to a lot of friction over the course of many years. The problem with ABS is that we have always struggled to get good adhesion on the first layer...and also the problem of warping for larger parts. Since most of our parts are quite small, the bigger issue is adhesion. When I am printing a batch of 40-100pcs of a part, and one piece looses adhesion, then it usually ruins many of the parts, and I must start the print over, wasting valuable time, filament, and setting back production.

    We have used extruder temps from 220-250F and bed temperatures from 100-125F...we have best results at the higher end of those numbers on the first layer...we usually print at 250F head, and 115F bed. We cover our bed with Kapton tape with no other treatment...and we tested with blue tape...and also spraying the surface with hairspray, glue, and other treatments....we have also tried cleaning between prints with various cleaners....but our best results is just Kapton tape with zero treatment or cleaning.

    So, we are VERY INTERESTED in acquiring a 3D belt printer, like the "Blackbelt" or the "White Knight" printer...but we do not need such a large build volume...so I am keeping my eye on the development of the belt printer market.

    My question right now is...is there a filament I should try, which would be better for our purposes than ABS. Something with similar strength & durability, but with improved printing characteristics? TIA
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