We are familiar with the common 2D form of print. 3D printing is not much different. It is just that print designs take 3D form on it. For instance, have a look at the sole of your footwear; the 3D pattern you see is the best example of 3D printing. 3D printing China services requires less material and it is not about cutting out of designs. The materials which are created by 3D printing are mostly put in molds. 3D printing requires specifically those materials which become fluid controllably and do not harden much inside the mold. Natural rubber is practically unsuitable for 3D printing as it vulcanizes due to rapid heating and then cooling in the mold. The rubber becomes very hard on vulcanization and holds its shape permanently. Further heating the rubber causes it to burn rather than melting it. So you see rubber is a material which hardens in the mold itself. So, natural rubber really can’t be used for 3D printing. So when we say 3D printing with rubber we are actually talking about 3D printing with rubber like materials.
SUBSTITUTES OF RUBBER EMPLOYED IN 3D PRINTING
Various polymers like TPEs can be substituted for rubber and are suitable for printing. One such TPE is FLEX filament, which has flexibility comparable to that of rubber. Such polymers imitate the organic rubber and provide the desired properties. Shoe sole is their most common application, but they have different applications in different types of industries, like they can be used for ceiling rings too. When printing with flex, the print speed should be kept slow or else the material will collapse as FLEX takes time for melting and flowing. The type of printer employed in 3D rubber printing depends upon the type and the properties of the polymer. When working with flex filament a direct drive printer is required. In a direct drive printer the motor is situated in print head itself and hence the filament requires no pushing through the extruder which would be required if the drive motor was situated on the printer’s back. The filament bridges much smaller distance due to the location of the drive motor in the print head itself. The printing technology employed influences the overall flexibility of the final material. Thinner prints lead to increase in the overall elasticity of the product. To alter the properties of the overall material sometimes the rubber-like polymer can even be mixed with some support material. When 3D printing is done using two different materials it is advisable to make the various parts fit together mechanically rather than relying on print adhesion.
ADVANTAGES OF WORKING WITH RUBBER-LIKE POLYMERS
The rubber-like polymers have great variation in strength, flexibility, color and resistance. This enables the manufacturers to manufacture a great variety of end products. The general methodology while working with rubber includes creation of fairly realistic prototypes which enables the testing and verification of designs including rubber. The print surface should be smoothly finished. Creation of non-slip surfaces is appreciated. Verification and proper checking of the grip and handles is a must.
RESOURCEBOX
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The original source of this article is from http://www.3dprintingchina.com.