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To an increasing extent, additive manufacturing is finding its way into series production. This was clearly shown at last year’s Formnext.

T-Crow night vision camera: except for the electronic components, the entire stand is produced additively. 

16:9

Polyetherketon

Verfahren für die additive Fertigung

Anlagen für die Additive Fertigung

Streifinger, Florian

3D-Druck-Anlage, pulverbettbasiert, Metall

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

Ehrhardt, Melanie

3D-Drucker (für FDM, FFF, etc.)

Additive Fertigung

Hochleistungskunststoffe

Print-Ready for Series Production

The temperature management of formative manufacturing processes has a significant effect on the mechanical material properties of some semi-crystalline thermoplastics.

Increasing the degree of crystallization and improving the mechanical properties of 3D-printed PEEK tensile specimens (right) by post-heat treatment in a high-temperature furnace (left).

Bei im FFF-Druck hergestellten Bauteilen ist der Kristallisationsgrad relativ niedrig. Durch Wärmenachbehandlung lassen sich die Bauteile jedoch optimieren.

Annealing of 3D-Printed High-Performance Polymers

Higher Crystallinity through  Post Heat Treatment

With the change from internal combustion engines to hybrid and electric vehicles, peak operating temperatures have dropped from 135 °C to 110 °C. At the same time, the number of operating hours compared to combustion engines has increased nine-fold. This has an influence on material selection.

A Comparison of PA66 and PPA for Electric Vehicles

Elektromotoren

Elektromobilität

Polyamide

Technische Kunststoffe

Higher Performance in Water

High-performance plastics such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK) offer many interesting opportunities for improving gears. However, precise statements about the relevant characteristic values are crucial for their effective use.

The mass balancer gear made of Vestakeep 5000 G is the first plastic gear used  in Mercedes-Benz transmissions. It replaces the metal gears previously used there. 

Designing Quieter, More Energy-Efficient Gears with PEEK

Zahnräder

Getting to the Heart of Wheels

The rising voltages in electric vehicles are creating higher requirements on insulation materials. This is why PEEK is increasingly used for this purpose. A problem with this high-performance polymer used to be its adhesion to the secondary insulation material. An epoxy resin now promises to solve the issue.

Due to higher voltages, manufacturers are increasingly using PEEK as insulation material for electric motors.

Partner for PEEK

Kfz-Elektronik

PEEK and Epoxy Provide Efficient Insulation for High Voltage E-Motor

The conditions in electric vehicles place high demands on the materials used. Therefore, automakers and suppliers must resort to expensive, high-performance plastics. For many applications, cost-effective alternatives are plastics whose properties have been greatly improved by means of treatment with high-energy electron beams.

Fig. 1. Crosslinked engineering plastics can be used for many different applications in electric vehicles.

Irradiation Crosslinking Replaces High-Performance Plastics with Cheaper Polymers

Strahlenvernetzung

Electron Booster for Electric Vehicles

Over the four trade-show days in November, Formnext 2021 transformed the metropolis of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, into an international innovation center of global additive manufacturing and modern industrial production. At the plastics side, some of the focuses were on the manufacture of voluminous parts, the use of injection molding pellets as a material basis, and the processing of high-performance plastics.

A high-strength carbon fiber-reinforced polyamide is printed on a plasma-treated stainless steel sheet.

Formnext 2021: Successful Relaunch as a Face-to-Face Show

Doriat, Clemens, Dr.

Anlagen Additive Fertigung / 3D-Druck, Kunststoff

Anlagen für die Stereolithografie, Kunststoff

High-Performance 3D Printing

The circular economy and more sustainable additives are the focus of AF Color’s Fakuma presence this year.

The circular economy and more sustainable additives are the focus of AF Color’s trade show presence this year

Masterbatches

Messe Fakuma

Biokunststoffe

Kunststoff-Recycling

Additive

Biobased Additives and Orange for PA

As a result of the Corona crisis, press manufacturer Wickert sees only a temporary slowdown in the growth forecasts for composite technologies. The company currently sees four trends in system engineering.

Composite press for research: for scientists at the Chemnitz University of Technology, Wickert developed a highly flexible four-column upper piston press which offers a high level of freedom and diversity in application

The Demand for Composites Will Keep Growing in the Future

Composite-Halbzeuge

Pressen

Duroplaste

Automatisierungstechnik

Naturmaterialien

Thermoplaste

Trends in Composite Manufacturing

Colored plastics are not just a marketing gimmick, but fulfill important functions with technical components. In particular, they warn of hazards and permit the fast and direct identification of components. However, when coloring such plastic components, the processors are faced with several difficulties. For example, the colorants used must exhibit long-term resistance to high temperatures and must not impair the polymer’s mechanical properties. Therefore, when selecting the colorant, compounders and processors must observe several important points.

How Plastics Processors Find the Most Suitable Colorants for High-Performance Polymers

Farbstoffe und Pigmente

Farbkonzentrate (Batches)

Farbstoffe

Kunststoff

Farben, flüssig

Colors for the High-Performance Sector

Aside from offering high mechanical strength, versatility and durability, polymer materials are ideal for applications in the electrical industry because of their ability to isolate electrical current.

For the conduction cooled MicroTCA systems, Harting processes LCP, a material that is flame-resistant, dimensionally stable at high temperatures, chemically resistant, and has only a low thermal expansion

Connectors for Industrial Lifelines: High-Tech Injection Molding at Harting

Hybridtechnik

Polymere, flüssigkristalline

Spritzgießen

Spritzgießwerkzeuge

Heißkanalsysteme

Stanzen

Hybrid-Spritzgießen (Metall / Kunststoff)

Steckverbinder

Well-Balanced Hot Runner Technology for LCP Processing

Two new inorganic yellow pigments based on iron oxide and zinc oxide respectively are designed for coloration in a temperature range of between 220 and 260 °C.

The yellow pigments are used for all common polymer materials as well as for engineering thermoplastics even at the highest production temperatures

Pigmente, bunt

Yellow for High Temperatures

Evonik has introduced a PEEK for FFF and FDM printers. The material was developed specifically for medical technology applications such as prostheses, surgical instruments and hearing aids.

The 3D-printable filament can be used, for example, for implants or hearing aids

Werkstoffe für additive Verfahren

Biocompatible and Easy to Process PEEK

There is still a need to catch up in terms of ion leaching and hydrolysis resistance of the materials used to date for fuel cells. Specially developed PPS represent one possibility for this.

Fuel cells are becoming increasingly important as a drive technology in the vehicle sector

Material Improvements Make Fuel Cells More Reliable

Automotive

Brennstoffzelle

Brennstoffzellen

Getting Fuel Cell Vehicles Fit for Use

Ultra high performance polymers such as polyaryletherketones (PAEK) are typically not thermoformable for thick gauge applications because of their semi-crystalline nature.

Fig. 1. PEKK copolymers contain both terephthalic (T) and isophthalic (I) monomers. The ratio and distribution of the monomers significantly determines the properties of the plastics

Special Polymers Enable Thermoforming of PEKK Parts

Warmformen / Thermoformen

Semi-Crystalline, and yet Thermoformable

Although fluoroplastics only make up a very small part of the overall plastics market, they are an indispensable component of many applications. These materials play a central role in today’s megatrends of digitalization, clean-energy generation and modern mobility concepts

The roof of the Vitam leisure center in Neydens, France, is made from ETFE film. A wooden structure supports the 53 ETFE cushions with a total surface area of 4300 m<sup>2</sup>

Fluoroplastics Improve the Durability and Chemical Resistance of Products

Bauchemie

Baustoffe

Kommunikationsanlagen

Fluorkunststoffe

An Impact Way beyond its  Small Market Share

The injection-molding grade with a 10% carbon fiber-reinforcement can be used within a wide temperature range between –30 and +180°C.

The new polyethersulfone (PESU) Ultrason E0510 C2TR is particularly suited for automotive parts that come into contact with hot oil. It shows very good tribological properties, high oil resistance and excellent dimensional stability also with wide ranges of temperature fluctuations

Engineering Plastic for Automotive Parts in Contact with Hot Oil

Kunststoffhandel

Polyethersulfon

Optimized Sliding Friction Properties

Due to its high-performing properties polyetheretherketone thermoplastic polymer is being used more and more frequently in many products.

PEEK can replace fluoropolymers in cryogenic applications. Advanced Engineering Valves uses PEEK from Victrex for sealings in ball valves

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK)

Elektronik-Fertigung

Mikroelektronik

Elektronik

Medizintechnik

Medizinprodukte

Delivering Efficiency Even in  Harsh Environments

The transformation from the combustion to the electric engine entails several imponderabilities for the plastics industry. In part, electric drives have completely different material requirements which are becoming specifically evident with the increasing use of appropriate vehicles.

In electric vehicles, the change in engine technology also entails new requirements for the plastic materials used

Flame Retardancy, Heat and Tracking Resistance of Electric Vehicles

Elektronische Bauelemente

Drivers of Electromobility