How to use 3D printer to print PEEK material?
How to use 3D printer to print PEEK material?
3D printing technology is an emerging processing technology that can print products of various shapes and materials. PEEK (polyetheretherketone) is a high-performance engineering plastic with the characteristics of high temperature, high strength, high rigidity, and resistance to chemical corrosion. Therefore, it is widely used in aviation, automobiles, medical and other fields.
Next, let’s discuss how to use a large industial 3D printer to print PEEK materials and the processing techniques that need to be paid attention to.
How to use 3D printer to print PEEK material?
First of all, you need to choose a 3D printer suitable for PEEK materials.
Generally, choose a 3D printer that can withstand high temperatures, because the printing temperature of PEEK materials is relatively high, generally between 250-400°C.
Secondly, you need to prepare a 3D printing model of PEEK material, which can be designed through CAD software or downloaded from the Internet.
Finally, for printing operations, you need to preheat, adjust printing parameters and other operations to ensure that the PEEK material can be completely printed.
1. Precautions when processing PEEK materials
1. Temperature control: The printing temperature of PEEK material is relatively high, and the temperature during the printing process needs to be strictly controlled to avoid material deformation or problems.
2. Printing pressure control: PEEK material has a high viscosity, and the pressure during the printing process needs to be controlled to avoid incomplete printing.
3. Keep it clean: PEEK material can easily absorb dust, impurities, etc., so it is necessary to keep the printing environment clean to avoid affecting the quality of the material
2. To realize 3D printing of PEEK material, the printer needs to meet the following conditions:
1. The printer must have a high-temperature nozzle that can work stably at high temperatures of 400-450°C.
2. The nozzle and hot bed must be able to maintain a constant temperature, controlled at around 320°C.
3. High-quality PEEK material must be used, with a smooth surface and no air, particles and other impurities.
4. Full heat flow analysis and simulation must be carried out to adjust printing parameters to ensure printing results.
3. Machine precautions for 3D printing PEEK material
1. Drying PEEK material: PEEK material is highly hygroscopic and needs to be dried before processing. It is usually dried in an oven at 120°C for 4-5 hours to remove moisture from the material.
2. Printer parameter settings: When 3D printing PEEK material, the printer parameters, such as nozzle temperature, hot bed temperature, printing speed, layer height, etc., need to be adjusted according to the melting point, thermal expansion coefficient and other parameters of the PEEK material to ensure the quality of the printed model.
3. Printer maintenance: Due to the high-temperature processing characteristics of PEEK materials, printer maintenance also needs to be more careful. For example, the nozzles and hot beds must be cleaned frequently to prevent PEEK material residues from causing clogging.
4. Post-processing: 3D printed PEEK models usually require post-processing, such as removal of support structures, polishing, coating, etc., to improve the quality and performance of the model.
3D printing PEEK material is difficult to process, but its high performance, high precision and high reliability make it widely used in some high-end fields.
In the future, with the continuous development of 3D printing technology, the difficulty of processing PEEK materials will gradually decrease, and the cost will gradually decrease, bringing more opportunities and challenges to the development of PEEK materials. 3D printing PEEK materials requires mastering certain processing skills. Tips and precautions, only in this way can we ensure the printing of high-quality PEEK material products and provide better solutions for applications in various industries.
