Homepage » Plant Processing »

PTFE components off the printer

3D printing of fluoropolymers allows more design freedom
PTFE components off the printer

3M has developed a technology to print fully fluorinated polymers in 3D, which is particularly exciting with PTFE applications. Complex structures can be fabricated in one step in this way. In the past, they had to be processed by traditional moulding and assembling the component parts. 3M has selected stereolithography as the additive manufacturing process method for PTFE and other fully fluorinated polymers. The printed parts show similar physical properties to those produced using traditional processing techniques.

PTFE is widely used in plant construction. Owing to its chemical inactivity it is well suited for linings, seals and bearings which come into contact with aggressive chemicals. 3M Dyneon Fluoropolymers provide corrosion resistance in chemically and thermally aggressive conditions. They are virtually non-inflammable and have good electrical insulation characteristics. Owing to their high molecular weight and high melt viscosity, it has not been possible in the past to manufacture components such as sliding bearings or PTFE and modified PTFE gaskets from the melt as is the case with other thermoplastics; instead, various pressing and sintering techniques have been employed. The loose powder cover is compacted at a specific pressure during the pressing process. The pressed and compacted material then undergoes a defined sintering cycle. When the crystallisation melting point is exceeded, the PTFE changes to the amorphous state and the powder particles which were compacted previously are sintered together in a homogeneous form.

Complex structures to be generated
3M has now developed a patent-pending technology to print fully fluorinated polymers in 3D. Complex structures, which are otherwise impossible to manufacture or can only be manufactured with expensive traditional processing techniques, can in future be fabricated in this way. This flexible new technology paves the way for the production of polymer structures in a single processing step rather than moulding and assembling component parts.
Stereolithography is process of choice
3M selected stereolithography, also known as vat polymerisation, as the additive manufacturing process for PTFE and other fully fluorinated polymers. The printed parts exhibit similar physical properties to those produced using traditional processing techniques. Stereolithography involves curing or solidifying a photosensitive material using an irradiation light source. Typical tailor-made formulations for 3D printing of fully fluorinated polymers using stereolithography contain a binder and optional additives as well as the fully fluorinated polymers. The three processing steps required here are aqua gel formation, drying and removal of the binder during heat treatment. This method can also be used for PTFE compounds. It allows 3D printing of spare parts or customised designs with a complex geometry on demand without having to resort to expensive traditional processing techniques.
Thanks to the potential material saving and reduced waste, the new technology is also a more sustainable production alternative. Traditional processes for manufacturing parts from PTFE generate substantial quantities of waste. This is reduced to a minimum with 3D printing, however, and any unused material can be reused for the next print job.
www.cpp-net.com search: cpp0117dyneon

Daniela Held
Editor, cpp chemical plants & processes
All Whitepaper

All whitepapers of our industry pages

Current Whitepaper

New filtration technology for highly corrosive media


Industrie.de Infoservice
Vielen Dank für Ihre Bestellung!
Sie erhalten in Kürze eine Bestätigung per E-Mail.
Von Ihnen ausgesucht:
Weitere Informationen gewünscht?
Einfach neue Dokumente auswählen
und zuletzt Adresse eingeben.
Wie funktioniert der Industrie.de Infoservice?
Zur Hilfeseite »
Ihre Adresse:














Die Konradin Verlag Robert Kohlhammer GmbH erhebt, verarbeitet und nutzt die Daten, die der Nutzer bei der Registrierung zum Industrie.de Infoservice freiwillig zur Verfügung stellt, zum Zwecke der Erfüllung dieses Nutzungsverhältnisses. Der Nutzer erhält damit Zugang zu den Dokumenten des Industrie.de Infoservice.
AGB
datenschutz-online@konradin.de