It is reported that Professor Toshiki Niino of the Institute of Production Technology at the University of Tokyo and others have successfully used 3D printers to complete the three-dimensional shaping of super engineering plastics with heat resistance of more than 150°C. Compared with existing processing methods such as cutting and injection molding, it has a strength of about 80% and can process complex shapes, which is conducive to the production of engine peripheral parts for automobiles and aircraft that require high temperature resistance.

The three-dimensional shape was successfully completed using polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) with a melting point of 280°C and a heat resistance of 150°C and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) with a melting point of 360°C and a heat resistance of 200°C. The shaping method is a powder layering method that repeatedly melts and cools the resin powder after irradiating it with laser to build a three-dimensional shape. The temperature in the furnace is maintained at 200°C, and the laser is raised to about 400°C to dissolve the resin powder.

By increasing the laser area and making the energy distribution uniform, the powder can absorb heat energy efficiently to dissolve the resin. After shaping the standard test piece for strength test, it was confirmed that the strength reached about 80% of other processing methods. In the future, we will collect strength data of different basic shapes and develop a design system that can predict strength when designing shapes.

——Quoted from “China Light Machinery News”