colorFabb Launches the New nGen Line of Copolyester-Based 3D Printing Filament

Long gone are the days when all anyone needed was a few spools of various colored PLA filaments to get everything that they could out of their 3D printers. Technology has been advancing at an astounding rate, and most desktop 3D printers are capable of using materials that were previously only available for consumer or industrial machines. This has caused an explosion of new, advanced desktop 3D printing filaments to be developed by a rapidly growing list of materials and filament manufacturers. But while 3D printing may no longer be a one- or two-material industry, many users are still looking for a single, all-purpose filament that will be usable for a wide range of applications on desktop printers of all makes.

In response to this demand, Dutch materials manufacturer colorFabb is releasing their newest line of 3D printing filaments called nGen. The advanced copolyester material was co-developed with global chemicals developer Eastman Chemical Company as part of their Amphora range of 3D printing copolyesters. ColorFabb says that nGen not only has a smooth surface with reduced striation when printed, but was formulated to tolerate a large range of printing temperatures, making it easier to use than most advanced materials. nGen also has a glass temperature that can exceed 85ºC (185ºF), giving it over double the heat resistance of standard PLA.

ColorFabb and Eastman created nGen to be used by 3D printing enthusiasts and businesses who need a filament material capable of printing a wide variety of objects and parts within a flexible processing temperature range of 220ºC to 240ºC (428ºF to 464ºF). Made from Eastman’s Amphora AM3300 copolyester material, nGen has exceptional melt stability, insuring that the transition from raw pellet form to 3D printing filament and ultimately printed part will have very little effect on its mechanical properties. This printing stability makes nGen an ideal printing material for large-scale production of parts and components when consistent reproducibility is necessary.

The styrene-free and low-odor material will offer exceptional flow properties at temperatures far lower than required by most polymers. This printing temperature flexibility and even flowrate will produce more reliable and consistent print results that will result in fewer failed prints and less wasted material and will help prevent nozzle jams and clogs. Despite the wider range of printing temperatures, nGen maintains an extremely high range of elevated temperature resistance, producing parts that are highly functional, durable, and attractive and smooth surface finish with advanced overhang properties.

The nGen line of filaments have all been successfully tested on many of the 3D printing industry’s most popular printers, including the LulzBot Mini, Ultimaker Original, Ultimaker 2, Mass Portal Pharaoh ED, MakerBot Replicator 2, Prusa i3 Hephestos and Leapfrog HS. The materials have also been tested and optimized for multiple applications and represent an ideal choice for everything from home appliances, consumer electronics, toys, modelling and character design, lighting and medical prosthetics. And of course this versatile and affordable price point makes nGen ideal for the rapid prototyping of both functional or merely aesthetic prototypes.

The new line of nGen filaments is on sale now and currently available in seventeen different varieties, including sixteen different colors and a clear filament. It is available in both 1.75mm and 2.85mm diameters and each .75 kilogram spool costs $38.00, which is the same price as colorFabb’s standard PLA/PHA line of materials. ColorFabb will also offer a larger 2.2 kilogram spool for $84.50.  Have you tried out these new filaments?  Let us know in the colorFabb nGen Filament forum on 3DPB.com.