Chemical-resistant components from the 3D printer: New tribo-filament from igus

The highly wear-resistant Tribo-Filament made from iglidur C210 for chemical-resistant components from 3D printing. (Source: igus GmbH)

The motion plastics specialist igus has expanded its range of wear-resistant tribo-filaments for 3D printing with the chemically resistant iglidur C210, now offering a total of six materials for the FDM process. Prototypes and small series for even more applications – for example, in contact with aggressive cleaning agents – can be realized with this new solution.

3D printing could revolutionize industrial manufacturing in the coming years. It always involves two key elements: precise 3D printers and high-performance materials. The latter must meet the specific requirements of melting and shrinkage processes in 3D printing and must not lose their characteristic material properties. The filaments from the motion plastics specialist igus are developed with regard to friction and wear – parts printed from these materials are up to 50 times more abrasion-resistant compared to standard plastics for 3D printing.

Specialist for the pharmaceutical and food industries

With iglidur C210, igus now offers a new tribo-filament material that is particularly resistant to chemicals. It withstands a variety of acids and solvents. Even against hydrogen peroxide, which is often used as a bleaching and disinfecting agent, the iglidur C210 tribo-filament is immune. Additionally, the material is characterized by high wear resistance, guaranteeing a long service life of the printed component. It also proves to be durable against high temperatures. Temporarily, the tribo-filament can withstand application temperatures of up to 180 °C, and long-term up to 100 °C. The material is available with diameters of either 1.75 or 3 millimeters, making it compatible with common FDM 3D printers. The iglidur C210 filament is suitable for a range of industries and applications, especially in hygienically sensitive areas such as the pharmaceutical and food industries, where components often come into contact with aggressive cleaning agents.

Already six tribo-filaments in the range

In addition to the new iglidur C210 material, igus offers five other filaments that users can print their parts with. Depending on the preference, the focus can be on easy processing (iglidur I150-PF), particularly high strength (iglidur I180-PF), or high application temperatures combined with the best wear resistance (iglidur J260-PF). All igus tribo-filaments exhibit significantly lower friction values than conventional 3D printing materials. Due to their abrasion resistance, they are particularly suitable for dynamic applications. The tribo-filaments can be purchased as raw material or optionally as finished, ready-to-install parts via igus's 3D printing service. On the website (http://www.igus.de/3DDruckservice), three simple steps take you from configuration to order. Prototypes or custom parts for small series can thus be produced quickly, easily, and at low cost. With the different tribo-filaments and their specific properties, users can fully exploit the advantages of 3D printing. Material and energy savings, along with rapid and customized manufacturing, offer enormous potential for cost reduction.