Tag: functional

Dual print with nGen and nGen_FLEX

Today’s featured print is a demonstrator model we also used at the recent TCT Show. For this model, which is our own design, we used nGen Gold Metallic for the base and nGen_FLEX Dark Gray for the flexible part.

Printing on the BCN3D Sigma we see how a world of opportunities opens up when you are able to use two different materials in the same print. The layer adhesion between the two materials is downright excellent.

nGen was released late last year and is an all-round filament which has many advantages over, say, a PLA. The temperature resistance is over 80 degrees C and it works on most printers with a heated build plate. nGen is a low-odor, styrene-free material uniquely suited for 3D printing enthusiasts, particularly those who need the flexibility to print within a wide processing temperature range. With nGen you will have good flow properties through the printer nozzle—even at lower temperatures than some other polymers require. These properties make nGen more workable at a wider breadth of temperatures, producing reliable results and resulting in less waste.

nGen_FLEX was released recently at the TCT Show and is our first semi-flexible material. With a Shore A hardness of 95 it is a material that is ideally suited for functional parts. It is not soft and squishy like other flexible materials in the market, but allows for fast printing and printing on 3D printers using a Bowden tube. nGen_FLEX is a material for users looking for an engineering grade flexible filament with a high temperature resistance (over 120 degrees C) and good chemical resistance.

Both nGen and nGen_FLEX are made with Eastman Amphora™ 3D polymers, a range of co-polyesters developed with Eastman Chemical Company for 3D printing. Amphora co-polyesters are low-odor, styrene-free choices that are uniquely suited for 3D printing applications. With Amphora, items can be created that are more functional, more durable, more efficient and attractive. You can find more information about co-polyesters in the article we recently published: What we talk about when we talk about co-polyesters.

Both nGen and nGen_FLEX are available now in our webshop (click here or here) and via our network of distributors and resellers. Click here for a reseller closest to you.

Water cap with nGen_FLEX

We are always looking for functional designs that we can use in real life. And when it comes to functionality we always go for one of our Amphora based co-polyester filaments. Developed with Eastman Chemical Company, we currently offer four grades: nGen, colorFabb_XT, colorFabb_HT and the recently launched nGen_FLEX.

And with this nGen_FLEX, which won great reviews after launching, we printed a water cap, designed by Peter Krige.

Design by Peter Krige, click here.

As described by the designer himself: “A hose or plastic tube is attached to the inner nozzle on the Water Cap. This is then inserted into the water container. The cap is screwed on and the inner rubber washer ensures an air tight seal. The water container is half filled with water. Then a longer piece of hose or plastic tube is attached to the outer nozzle and its other end installed in the flex tap. The flex tap works by creating a kink in the tube which controls or stops the water flow depending on how much the user flexes the handle. A bicycle pump is connected to the schrader valve and the container pressurised with air.”

With nGen_FLEX we created a truly functional print of this design. nGen_FLEX was launched succesfully at the TCT Show recently and is our first semi-flexible filament. It has a Shore A hardness of 95 and has very good printability on a wide variety of printers, even the ones with Bowden tubes which are in general challenging to print flexible filaments on. The heat resistance of over 120 degrees C adds to the functionality and even allows steam sterilization of your print when needed! You can find more information about the material, the data sheets and print tutorials on our dedicated landing page.

We printed the water cap on the Mass Portal Pharaoh 3D with a 0.2mm layer height.

nGen_FLEX is now available in both dark gray and black. Click here for availability online.

3d printing amphora colorfabb flex functional mass portal ngen_flex water cap

How to post-process co-polyesters

Of course we love our prints as they are. We put great effort to choose the best materials and the finest materials. With our “How To…” posts we want everybody to be able to create the best prints possible on a wide variety of printers. We have written before about post-processing our metal filled filaments, which literally truly shine when processed the right way. More links to blogs about post-processing these special filaments can be found here.

Beyond the special filaments, which have great aesthetic properties, we also have our range of co-polyesters: nGen, colorFabb_XT and colorFabb_HT and we received quite a few questions about post-processing these materials. To find our more about the materials themselves, check out the blog we have written before by clicking here.

Developed by Eastman Chemical Company, Eastman Amphora™ 3D polymers are the basis of our co-polyesters and offer a low-odor, styrene-free choice that is uniquely suited for 3D printing applications. With Amphora, items can be created that are more functional, more durable, more efficient, and attractive. With superior melt strength and dimensional stability, our range of co-polyesters deliver advanced bridging capabilities to create stronger and more detailed items—with low odor and low emissions.

Now, once a print comes of the printer and you want to be doing something truly functional with it you may need some kind of post-processing with it, also called secondary operations. Be it painting, drilling or glueing there are multiple ways to work with a printed object once it has been printed, but before you can use it. You can truly bring 3D printing into your life by making useful applications.

For instance, you need to drill into a part. This should be no problem with co-polyesters. We recommend drills specifically made for plastic. Steel drills are possible, but only when grounded. Tips like these are to be found in the brochure that Eastman has prepared and which you can find by clicking here.

Click on the image below to find the full guide prepared by Eastman Chemical Company:

Our range of co-polyesters are available online.

3d printing amphora colorfabb colorfabb_ht colorfabb_xt eastman functional ngen post-processing

Scissor Snake with our colorfabb_XT

We found the very handy scissor snake on Pinshape by Richard Swika and printed it with our colorfabb_XT. This design “enables people with limited use of their hands to manipulate small objects at a distance in a fun and effective way,” according to Swika.The original design can be found on Pinshape: https://pinshape.com/items/25747-3d-printed-scissor-snake-easy-grip-custom It can easily be customized according to your needs.

We printed this design as one single print on the Ultimaker 2, using colorFabb_XT Light Blue as our material of choice with a layer height of 0.15mm. colorFabb_XT has the right properties for this print which need strength and toughness.

We launched colorFabb_XT 2 years ago at the London 3D Print Show together with Eastman Chemical Company. Eastman is our material partner for co-polyesters. colorFabb_XT is made with Amphora AM1800 and has a unique formulation for 3D Printing that features excellent properties : High strength and very high toughness, Odor Neutral processing, High Tg / improved temp. resistance, Styrene free formulation, FDA food contact compliance, BPA (Bisphenol A ) free formulation. It will allow the user to produce 3D printed functional products in a safe way.

You can find the data sheets and other documentation on our website: http://colorfabb.com/Materials/

colorFabb_XT is available in 14 colors, including clear.

3d printing colorfabb colorfabb_xt functional light blue pinshape scissor snake ultimaker 2

Rope tensioner

We use 3D printing for everyday use. Recently we needed a rope tensioner and printed this with colorFabb_HT Clear. For strong and sturdy prints, we use our colorFabb_HT for the best results. This rope tensioner is perfectly suited for camping or use around the house.

You can find the design by Martin Longbone on Thingiverse: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:893020

The tensioner was printed on a Kossel XL printer with an E3D Chimera nozzle at 40 mm/s. Layer height is 0.16mm with 100% infill.

You can find out more about colorFabb_HT on our dedicated landing page: http://ht.colorfabb.com/

colorFabb_HT is perfectly suitable for prints that need to perform well in the real world and require extreme durability. We launched colorFabb_HT earlier this year as our high temperature and high performance filament of choice. colorFabb_HT is made with BPA-free Eastman Amphora HT5300 3D polymer and empowers professional users to create more durable and useful items, making prototyping truly functional.

colorFabb_HT is available in 5 colors: http://colorfabb.com/co-polyesters/colorfabb-ht

3d printing clear colorfabb colorfabb_ht functional ht kossel xl rope tensioner

nGen_FLEX, our new flexible 3D printing filament

Today, on the first day of the TCT Show, we proudly announce and launch our new 3D printing filament:

nGen_FLEX

Heat resistance 125C | FDA compliance | Styrene-free | BPA-free

nGen_FLEX is a new elastomer material added to our existing range of co-polyester functional 3D printing filaments. It is made from Eastman Amphora™ Flex 3D Polymer FL6000 and the fourth filament in our range of Amphora based co-polyester, following colorFabb_XT, nGen and colorFabb_HT.

nGen_FLEX is available for pre-ordering today: Click here. Shipping will commence next week.

It is best described as a semi-flexible material with good printability on most 3D printers eliminating the use for specialized flex extruders. It’s rated at a Shore A hardness level of 95. By adjusting infill and perimeter settings it’s possible to influence how flexible a part should feel after printing.

nGen_FLEX will initially be available in two colors: Dark Gray and Black. Other colors may be released after initial launch including the possibility for skintone colors. Several skintone colors have already be developed and will be on display at the TCT Show this week. nGen_FLEX is a great material to print prosthetics, for instance.

Fingers: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:387072/#files / Hand and mount: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:380665

For those who are looking for a durable flexible material to be used in their prototypes, demonstrators or even final parts, look no further. The filament has excellent chemical resistance and extremely high temperature resistance. nGen_FLEX is temperature resistant to about 125C. That means 3D printed objects can be steam sterilized at 121C.

nGen_FLEX is engineered as a semi-flexible materials which allows most users to print at regular print speeds, cutting down build times compared to other very flexible filaments. Also Bowden style 3D printers, 1.75mm and 2.85mm, will be able to push this filament through without much trouble.

You can find many more advantages of this material on our dedicated landing page: http://ngen-flex.colorfabb.com/

Because of its durable nature the material is an excellent choice for making your own tools and clamps. Whether it’s an improvement for your workshop or actual custom made parts for a productionline, this material will be uniquely suited for the job. One project we used nGen_FLEX for this summer was the F1 open RC project. We wanted to print the entire car with co-polyester filament and found nGen_FLEX to be perfect for the tires.

During the summer we have been busy testing this material on several printers. Below you can find the settings of some of these printers. Click on the table to find our more about our recommended settings:

nGen_FLEX is available for pre-ordering now and will start shipping next week. Price for a spool, which contains 650 grams, is € 39.95 (incl. VAT), so that is € 33 excluding VAT for a full spool of filament!

You can find us this week at the TCT Show in Birmingham, where we are showcasing several prints made with nGen_FLEX: the F1 car, the prosthetic hand, several functional parts and a skateboard (the wheels were printed with nGen_FLEX). If you are at the show or near Birmingham, we are in Hall 3A, Stand B36.

3d printing amphora announcement colorfabb eastman filament functional new material ngen_flex

Grease Jar

Sometimes you just need a little bit of grease in the print lab, but you have to keep it somewhere. That’s why we’ve chosen to print our own grease jar. We used nGen Gray Metallic for this, due to its excellent chemical resistance, which is a feature of all our co-polyesters.

The design can be found here: https://www.youmagine.com/designs/grease-jar

This grease jar has been printed on an Ultimaker 2 at 45mm/s

We offer nGen in 17 different colors, which are available here: http://colorfabb.com/co-polyesters/ngen

nGen Gray Metallic is on sale this week (until September 25th).

nGen is made from Eastman Amphora™ AM3300 3D polymer. Like colorFabb_XT, it is part of Eastman’s Amphora range of copolyesters for 3D printing. nGen is a low-odor, styrene-free material uniquely suited for 3D printing enthusiasts, particularly those who need the flexibility to print within a wide processing temperature range. With nGen you will have good flow properties through the printer nozzle—even at lower temperatures than some other polymers require. These properties make nGen more workable at a wider breadth of temperatures, producing reliable results and resulting in less waste.

Amphora 3300 has been made into high-quality filament that exhibits advanced overhang ability, excellent looks, and large printing temperature range—empowering large panel of users to create durable and useful items. With the unique combination of a low processing temperature and an elevated temperature resistance, nGen can quickly print creations that are functional, durable, efficient, and attractive. More information can be found on our dedicated landing page: http://ngen.colorfabb.com/

3d printing colorfabb functional gray metallic grease jar ngen sale ultimaker

RC 180 degree HD camera printed with nGen

Today’s featured print is a great one that has already been used extensively in the real world and is printed with nGen. Thes prints were made by Claus Forster, who works for Eastman Specialty Plastics. Eastman is of course the producer of the Amphora™ 3D polymer, so Claus knows the material on which nGen is based very well!

To find out more about co-polyesters, please check our previous blog explaining these materials.

This is an Arduino activated remote controlled 180 degree HD camera which has been modified. The aim was to make videos during a motorbike tour in the highest French Alpine mountains during driving in direction forward, sidewise and backwards. Beside that an easy fix and release via hook and loop fastener provided a comfortable handling and the camera fits exactly into a helmet. Because of this the camera could even be covered/hidden by the helmet during parking or break and sometimes the helmet was the ‘transport-box’ when taking it off during the night.

An Arduino Nano (open-source electronic prototyping platform) controls the RGB-LED – shows the status of the camera – and the rotating – done by a RC-servo – and operates the camera – switching on and start/stops recording. All electronics – remote, interface, Arduino – is soldered on a 50x70mm board.

These parts were entirely printed with nGen. nGen is made with Eastman Amphora™ 3D polymer AM3300 and has good flow properties through the printer nozzle – even at lower temperatures than some other polymers require. These properties make nGen more workable at a wider breadth of temperatures, producing reliable results and resulting in less waste. nGen exhibits advanced overhang ability, excellent looks, and large printing temperature range—empowering large panel of users to create durable and useful items.

The hardware was done early this year but the functional 3D parts were printed just one week before the trip:

Bottom and brackets for the electronic board (1)
Housing with LED and RC servo (2)
Dome for camera – front (3)
Dome for camera – rear (4)
Sender/Control battery operated (5)
Adapter for camera on motorbike (6)
Adapter for sender on the handlebar (7)

The camera even passed an unplanned drop test of 1.2 meters! You can see the camera in action here:

More information about nGen can be found here: http://ngen.colorfabb.com/

nGen is available now in a variety of 17 colors: http://colorfabb.com/co-polyesters/ngen

180 degrees 3d printing arduino co-polyester colorfabb eastman featured functional hd camera mount ngen

Lamp hanger in colorFabb_XT

As these things go, summer is coming to an end and days are getting shorter. To continue that much needed work in the garden in the evening hours more light is needed. We do not print light, but we can print the fixtures for the lamp. This custom designed lamp hanger brings the solution. Printed with colorFabb_XT it shows once again a functional (and in this case, a much needed) application for 3D printing.

The machine used was a KosselXL and we printed with 0.16mm layer height.

Filament used: colorFabb_XT Black

colorFabb_XT is available in 14 colors: http://colorfabb.com/co-polyesters/colorfabb-xt

colorFabb_XT is made with Amphora AM1800 and was the first material we launched together with Eastman Chemical Company back in 2014.

It has a unique formulation for 3D Printing that features excellent properties : High strength and very high toughness, Odor Neutral processing, High Tg / improved temp. resistance, Styrene free formulation, FDA food contact compliance, BPA (Bisphenol A ) free formulation. It will allow the user to produce 3D printed functional products in a safe way. Eastman Amphora™ 3D polymer is a low-odor, styrene-free choice that is uniquely suited for 3D printing applications. With Amphora, items can be created that are more functional, more durable, more efficient, and attractive.

Learn how to print with colorFabb_XT: https://learn.colorfabb.com/print-_xt/

3d printing black colorfabb colorfabb_xt custom design functional kosselXL lamp hanger xt

Coat hangers 3D printed with nGen filament

We used nGen filament to print coat hangers in a variety of colors. nGen is a general purpose 3D printing material that is perfectly suited to be used for prints that can be used in real life. These coat hangers were printed on the MassPortal Pharaoh ED in our own print lab.

Design: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1088960

Eastman Amphora™ 3D polymer

Eastman Amphora™ 3D polymer is a low-odor, styrene-free choice that is uniquely suited for 3D printing applications. With Amphora, items can be created that are more functional, more durable, more efficient, and attractive.

nGen is made with Amphora AM3300 and has good flow properties through the printer nozzle – even at lower temperatures than some other polymers require. These properties make nGen more workable at a wider breadth of temperatures, producing reliable results and resulting in less waste. nGen exhibits advanced overhang ability, excellent looks, and large printing temperature range—empowering large panel of users to create durable and useful items. Learn more about nGen on our special dedicated landing page.

3d printing coat hanger colorfabb deerhanger functional massportal ngen