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Information about 3D printing with wear-resistant plastics

Additive printing methods

Additive printing methods with iglidur

Wear-resistant 3D printed parts

Wear-resistant 3D printed components

Wear tests in our test laboratory

3D printing polymer wear tests

Fast prototype construction

Rapid prototyping

What is 3D printing?

3D printing refers to manufacturing digitally defined objects by means of layered application and bonding of material. The term "3D printing" is often used colloquially as a synonym for additive manufacturing. Additive manufacturing methods contrast with subtractive ones, such as machining, in which material is removed.

3D printing in the proper sense refers to the binder jetting additive technology. Other frequently used synonyms are generative manufacturing, layering manufacturing, additive manufacturing, 3D printing and rapid prototyping. Among the best-known 3D printing methods for plastics are selective laser sintering, multi-jet fusion, fused deposition modelling, stereo lithography, and material jetting.

How does 3D printing work?

Manufacturing an object with a 3D printing method requires at least three steps:

1. The object is created digitally in a CAD file and converted into a format (such as STL) that the 3D printer can read.

2. The object is printed in layers.

3. The finished object is cleaned and reworked (polished, coated, coloured, etc.) as necessary.

The exact production technology depends on the printing method. There are many methods that are primarily distinguished by whether the material is added in the form of powder, molten plastics, or fluid and whether they are cured by light, air, or bonding agent. Depending on application, plastics, metals, ceramics, concrete, food, or even organic materials can be processed with additive technologies.

What is 3D printing used for?

3D printing is used for a wide and continuously expanding spectrum of applications. For prototype and model production or high-volume production, additive manufacturing is employed in a wide variety of areas, from art and design to the aerospace industry. In addition to simple user objects and toys, 3D printing technologies are used to print components for the architecture of complex geometries for devices in scientific laboratories and to manufacture stressed machine elements and replacement parts. 

What is industrial 3D printing for?

Industrial 3D printing is used for manufacturing prototypes, tools, and series parts. It uses materials that, depending on the industrial application in question, must meet special mechanical requirements such as flexibility, rigidity, and wear resistance.

3D printing has proven very economical in industry because models and small series can be created, tested, and adjusted for series production much quicker than they could with usual methods. Unlike prototypes that map only the geometries of the planned component, industrially manufactured 3D-printed models allow all mechanical properties to be tested on the machine.

3D printing services are frequently used for industrial prototype manufacture, since procuring an industrial 3D printer is not cost-effective unless the company in question possesses the necessary expertise and needs to use the printer regularly to manufacture models and series. 3D printing service providers usually have not only the necessary expertise, but also several 3D printers, allowing them to select the method best suited to the application in question. Depending on method, it is also much more cost-effective to engage an external service provider because such methods as laser sintering involve the regular manufacture of large batches of parts for various customers, greatly lowering production costs for individual parts and thus for individual customers.

In addition to manufacturing prototypes and small series, industry is relying more and more on 3D printing for tool manufacture for such procedures as injection moulding. Plastic, ceramic, or metal – any mould for large-series production can be additively manufactured. Unlike conventional tool manufacture, additive manufacturing allows moulds to be created quickly and simply based on a CAD file and added directly to the order. If modifications are necessary, they can be made with a few clicks, so manufacturing a new tool is much quicker and costs less than conventional methods allow.

3D printers are being purchased more frequently by private individuals so that they can print objects for private use and explore the capabilities of 3D printing. However, their options are limited by the costs, which remain very high, and the quality of processable materials, which is generally low. There are industrial 3D printers for all types of additive methods; they can process a wide range of materials and are better suited to the requirements of industry.

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The terms "igus", "Apiro", "chainflex", "CFRIP", "conprotect", "CTD", "drylin", "dry-tech", "dryspin", "easy chain", "e-chain", "e-chain systems", "e-ketten", "e-kettensysteme", "e-skin", "e-spool", "flizz", "ibow", "igear", "iglidur", "igubal", "igutex", "kineKIT", "manus", "motion plastics", "pikchain", "readychain", "readycable", "ReBeL", "speedigus", "triflex", "robolink", "xirodur", and "xiros" are legally protected trademarks of the igus® GmbH/ Cologne in the Federal Republic of Germany and where applicable in some foreign countries.

igus® GmbH points out that it does not sell any products of the companies Allen Bradley, B&R, Baumüller, Beckhoff, Lahr, Control Techniques, Danaher Motion, ELAU, FAGOR, FANUC, Festo, Heidenhain, Jetter, Lenze, LinMot, LTi DRiVES, Mitsubishi, NUM,Parker, Bosch Rexroth, SEW, Siemens, Stöber and all other drive manufacturers mention on this website. The products offered by igus® are those of igus® GmbH