When it comes to high performance materials, PEEK and ULTEM need high quality equipment so that the final result is indeed satisfactory. At UP3D you will find the best equipment and materials to achieve quality results.
Check out some requirements to get the best experience working with PEEK and ULTEM:
- High temperature extruder: The melting point of PEEK materials is 343 ° C. This means that the extruder must be able to reach this temperature at least. The extrusion nozzle must also be completely metallic and resistant to abrasions.
- Heated printing table: In order to print high performance polymers like those of the PAEK family, it is essential that the 3D printer is equipped with a heated table capable of reaching temperatures of at least 120 ° C. This ensures the correct adherence of the material in the first moments of printing and the overall quality of 3D printing.
- Closed heated chamber: PEEK is highly prone to shrinkage and deformation. Ideally (and this is especially important for larger parts), the chamber temperature should be above 143 ° C or more, which is the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the material.
It is very important that the temperatures are controlled to be constant, as variations can certainly affect the quality of the print, causing the final piece to not be very satisfactory.
Check out these two videos from the manufacturer INTAMSYS demonstrating the printing characteristics with ULTEM 1010 and PEEK: