New Firewire PPS 3D Printing Filament from 3DXTech Withstands High Temps & Extreme Chemicals

3DXTech is well aware that the 3D printing industry is full of myriad and sundry filament choices. While there are the standard choices in ABS and PLA which work fine for a variety of 3D prints and even larger-scale projects, 3DXTech has a new product that is catering to the extreme workout in 3D printing.

Offering a new material that can give the highest performance, withstand super-hot temperatures, and is nearly completely chemically resistant, 3DXTech is not catering to those who are just interested in 3D printing gaming figurines or one-offs. Like any industry that requires numerous tools and materials to fit certain projects, the 3D printing marketplace is now full of choices. With a new product like Firewire PPS, high-quality components are able to be born–and used.

With the goal of seeing 3D prints that offer high functionality, 3DXTech has been working on FireWire PPS for months, seeking the optimum in balancing all the elements for superior extrusion, streamlined 3D printing, and resulting performance. We’ve said before that one of the key elements to a successful business is in knowing the customer base–and 3DXTech is gearing this material around them, from automotive to the semi-conductor industry.

Firewire is meant for high-temperature printing. It features a glass-transition temperature of 85°C and a melt temperature of 285°C.  For this material, you will require an all-metal hot end that can tolerate a minimum of 350°C.

With Firewire, 3DXTech allows you the notion of performing processes like:

• 3D printing functional components at temperatures up to 150°C while simultaneously exposing them to concentrated sulfuric acid–something the team tested with the oil and gas industry in mind.
• 3D printing auto parts at 130°C with direct exposure to 50/50 water-glycol.
• 3D printing an ESD-safe PCB conformal coating mask for semi-conductor parts that is resistant to both acetone and even methylene chloride.

This material is currently in testing but 3DXTech expects it to be released in October, where it will also be available at Globalfsd, which functions as a filament sampling depot for discerning users.

Current testing and trials in R&D, using a Makergear M2 3D printer which they were able to modify using an E3D V6 hot end, have shown that the best 3D printing temperatures for the Firewire PPS filament are between 325 and 345°C with a bed temp of 110-120°C.

PPS will be just the first in a lineup of Firewire 3D printing filaments. With all of their products made in the US, 3DXTech has a dedicated focus to innovating rather than working on the status quo in providing products for their clientele. If you are interesting in checking out this new product, be sure to catch the 3DXTech team in action at the Detroit Maker Faire in Dearborn, Michigan on July 25-26.

Other launches to look forward to under the Firewire brand include PPSU, PEI, and PEEK filaments.

Is this a 3D filament you will look forward to trying? What specific requirements attract you most regarding Firewire PPS? Discuss in the Firewire PPS 3D Printing Filament forum thread over at 3DPB.com.