What Is a Nylon 3D Printer?
A nylon 3D printer is a device that uses nylon as a filament material (material used in 3D printers) to produce three-dimensional objects from 3D CAD data (STL data).
There are two main methods of manufacturing workpieces. One is the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) method. In this process, the filament material is melted and eluted with high heat, and two-dimensional thin material layers are stacked to create a shape according to the design data.
The other method is called SLS (Sintered Layered Manufacturing).
In this method, a powdered filament material is irradiated with a laser beam heated and sintered to create the desired shape.
Nylon materials, in particular, have high mechanical strength and are used to produce precision machinery and automotive parts.
Uses of Nylon 3D Printers
Uses of nylon 3D printers include the following:
- Prototypes
Uses of nylon include prototyping for functional performance.
For example, not only shape samples, but also performance tests for mechanical strength, chemical resistance, and impact durability of products. - Jig and tool-related
Nylon’s abrasion resistance and high mechanical strength are used to manufacture jigs and tools used in production processes. - End products (mainly parts)
Nylon is used for parts used in the automotive and aerospace industries.
Uses of Nylon 3D Printers
The features of molding products made by nylon 3D printers are as follows:
Advantages
- Heat resistance
Parts made with nylon materials have high heat resistance. Specifically, depending on the type of material, they can withstand temperatures of up to 80°C. - Impact resistance
Nylon materials generally have high impact resistance. - Tensile Strength
Nylon material has high toughness, so when force is applied to a part, it will deform elastically at first, but it will maintain its shape and will not crack easily.
Disadvantages
- Nylon itself is highly hygroscopic, which can lead to defective parts.
Nylon is stored in a dry state to prevent defective parts.
Therefore, a dry container should be used for material storage, and the printer itself should be used in a dry room. - Parts warpage
If the material itself absorbs moisture, it may be deformed during modeling. - Poor incremental adhesion
In the FDM system, the use of moisture-absorbed materials reduces the interlaminar adhesion strength of the finished parts. - Decreased mechanical strength
Parts made of dry materials have high impact resistance and abrasion resistance. However, these characteristics are lost when moisture-absorbing materials are used.