Luvocom-News

LEHVOSS Group at Formnext 2022

In focus: Functional and highly stressed tools and end components. News on 3D printing materials, applications and certifications

3D printing material meets EN 45545-2 R1 HL3 even with very thin components

Flame resistance is an important property when using plastics in electrical engineering or in public transport. This is also becoming increasingly important for 3D printing materials, as the production of series components and spare parts is increasingly being carried out using 3D printing. There are many different and sometimes very complex test methods for determining fire properties. Every industry has standards according to its needs. Some of the most important: UL94 for electrical engineering, FAR 25.853 for aerospace, UN-ECE R.118.03 for buses and EN 45545-2 for rail vehicles.

The railway industry relies primarily on the EN45545-2 standard, one of the most demanding fire testing standards in the world. LUVOCOM 3F PEI 50236 GY, based on polyetherimide (PEI), already meets the EN45545-2 R1 HL3 certification for 3D-printed samples that are only 2 mm thick. The test specimens made from LUVOCOM 3F PEI 50236 GY achieved previously unattainable test values ​​and thus position the material as one of the best in its class for railway applications. This enables the use of 3D printed parts in sensitive applications in rail vehicles. LUVOCOM 3F PEI 50236 GY is colored grey. This eliminates the need for a primer coat on components and improves weather resistance and UV resistance.

The LEHVOSS product portfolio includes many other materials for railway applications. Examples include LUVOCOM 3F PAHT KK 50056 BK FR, based on a high-temperature polyamide (PA) and LUVOCOM 3F PPS CF 9938 BK, based on PPS. Both materials meet EN 45545 R22, R23 HL3.

All three materials mentioned also meet the UL 94 V0 test requirements, starting at just 0.4 mm on 3D-printed test components.

 

Modern mold making

The production of mechanically resilient, temperature and chemical-resistant molds for laminated components made of GFRP and CFRP plastics using 3D printing processes is becoming increasingly popular. The tools manufactured in this way for the lamination of prototypes/batch size 1 or small series represent a technically high-quality and economical alternative to conventional mold making, since complex and time-consuming roughing processes are replaced by near-net-shape 3D printing and the fine finishing process directly downstream.

LEHVOSS offers a wide range of tailor-made 3D printing materials for this area. These also enable the use of demanding resin systems, such as polyester or epoxy resin, which are used for demanding carbon fiber laminates, e.g. in energy, aerospace technology, in the racing segment and boat building or in sports equipment. In particular, the resin systems differ in their chemical reactivity and the required consolidation temperatures and pressures. The selected fiber-resin combination is specific to each application and therefore places different demands on the tools used and thus on the tool materials. The LEHVOSS range of materials, based on e.g. PC/ABS, PET, PA, PPS and PEEK, is tailored to the FFF and FGF processes.

 

LUVOSINT PA12 9270 BK for the SLS process: Completely reusable, black colored and the best mechanical properties

As a black-colored polyamide 12 powder, LUVOSINT PA12 9270 BK is not only perfectly suited for automotive applications, but also generally for the industrial production of black components. In addition, LUVOSINT PA12 9270 BK is the sustainable further development of well-known PA12 materials; with traditional laser sintering powders, around 50% of the unsintered building space powder is waste that can no longer be used in the process. In the case of light housing parts, this results in 8 kg of PA12 powder to produce 1 kg of component! The very fine waste powder is not accepted by any classic recycling plant - a major problem for the industrial use of laser sintering. LUVOSINT PA12 9270 BK can be completely reused in subsequent construction processes, so that no old powder is produced that would have to be disposed of. This makes laser sintering with PA12 significantly more cost-efficient and, above all, more ecologically sustainable than before.