COMPOSITIONS FOR USE IN FUSED FILAMENT 3D FABRICATION AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME
A method for forming a blended material for use as a deposition material in a fused filament fabrication (FFF) printer is provided. A semi-crystalline material and an amorphous material are physically mixed at an appropriate ratio. The mixed material is then heated to a temperature that is above the melting point of the semi-crystalline material and above the glass transition temperature of the amorphous material to form a blended material. The blended material is then extruded through an extruder die for use in the FFF printer.
1 . A method for forming a blended material for use as a deposition material in a fused filament fabrication (FFF) printer, the method comprising:
providing a first amount of a semi-crystalline material and a second amount of an amorphous material;
physically mixing the first amount of the semi-crystalline material and the second amount of the amorphous material, wherein the weight ratio of the first amount to the second amount is 50:50 or higher;
heating the mixed material to a temperature that is above the melting point of the semi-crystalline material and above the glass transition temperature of the amorphous material to form a blended material; and
extruding the blended material through an extruder die for use in the FFF printer.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of physically mixing includes mixing the semi-crystalline and amorphous materials such that the weight ratio of the first amount to the second amount is between 60:40 and 80:20, inclusive.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the semi-crystalline material includes polyether ether ketone.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the amorphous material includes polyphenylsulfone.
5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the amorphous material includes polyethersulfone.
6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the amorphous material includes polyetherimide.
7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the amorphous material includes a polyarylsulfone.
8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the amorphous material includes at least one of the following materials: polyphenylene oxides, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, methyl methacrylate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer, polystyrene, and polycarbonate.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the amorphous material includes at least one of the following materials: polyphenylene oxides, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, methyl methacrylate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer, polystyrene, and polycarbonate.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the semi-crystalline material includes at least one of the following materials: polyamide, polybutylene terephthalate, and poly(p-phenylene sulfide).
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of physically mixing the semi-crystalline and amorphous materials includes mixing polyamide and polyphenylene oxide together.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of physically mixing the semi-crystalline and amorphous materials includes mixing polybutylene terephthalate and polycarbonate together.
13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of physically mixing the semi-crystalline and amorphous materials includes mixing poly(p-phenylene sulfide) and polyetherimide together.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a semi-crystalline material includes providing at least two different semi-crystalline materials.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of providing an amorphous material includes providing at least two different amorphous materials.
16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a semi-crystalline material and an amorphous material includes providing at least two different semi-crystalline materials and at least two different amorphous materials.
17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of physically mixing includes mixing the first amount of the semi-crystalline material, the second amount of the amorphous material and a third amount of a filler material whose melting temperature is higher than the semi-crystalline material.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the filler material includes one or more of the following materials: carbon fibers, glass fibers and aramid fibers.
19 . A method for operating a fused filament fabrication (FFF) printer comprising:
providing a heat blended material adapted to be fed to a FFF printer, wherein the blended material contains an amorphous material and a semi-crystalline material;
feeding the blended material to the FFF printer;
heating the blended material to a temperature that is above the melting point of the semi-crystalline material and above the glass transition temperature of the amorphous material; and
depositing, by a printing head of the FFF printer, the heated material in a selected pattern in accordance with a mathematical model of a 3D object to form the 3D object.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of providing a blended material includes providing the blended material whose weight ratio of the semi-crystalline material to the amorphous material is 50:50 or higher.
21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of providing a blended material includes providing the blended material whose weight ratio of the semi-crystalline material to the amorphous material is between 60:40 and 80:20, inclusive.
22 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the first semi-crystalline material is polyether ether ketone.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the amorphous material includes polyphenylsulfone.
24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the amorphous material includes polyethersulfone.
25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the amorphous material includes polyetherimide.
26 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the amorphous material includes a polyarylsulfone.
27 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the amorphous material includes at least one of the following materials: polyphenylene oxides, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, methyl methacrylate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer, polystyrene, and polycarbonate.
28 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the amorphous material includes at least one of the following materials: polyphenylene oxides, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, methyl methacrylate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer, polystyrene, and polycarbonate.
29 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the semi-crystalline material includes at least one of the following materials: polyamide, polybutylene terephthalate, and poly(p-phenylene sulfide).
30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the step of physically mixing the semi-crystalline and amorphous materials includes mixing polyamide and polyphenylene oxide together.
31 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the step of physically mixing the semi-crystalline and amorphous materials includes mixing polybutylene terephthalate and polycarbonate together.
32 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the step of physically mixing the semi-crystalline and amorphous materials includes mixing poly(p-phenylene sulfide) and polyetherimide together.
33 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of providing operation of providing a heat blended material includes:
physically mixing a first amount of the semi-crystalline material and a second amount of the amorphous material, wherein the weight ratio of the first amount to the second amount is 50:50 or higher;
heating the mixed material to a temperature that is above the melting point of the semi-crystalline material and above the glass transition temperature of the amorphous material to form a blended material; and
forming a filament of the blended material by extruding the blended material through a die of an extruder.
34 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of providing a heat blended material includes providing the heat blended material containing a filler material whose melting temperature is higher than the semi-crystalline material.
35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the filler material includes one or more of the following materials: carbon fibers, glass fibers and aramid fibers.
36 . A composition for use in a fused filament fabrication (FFF) printer comprising:
a roll of filament adapted to be fed to the FFF printer for printing a 3D object, wherein the filament includes a heated blend of a first amount of a semi-crystalline material and a second amount of an amorphous material, wherein the weight ratio of the first amount to the second amount is 50:50 or higher.
37 . The composition of claim 36 , wherein the weight ratio of the first amount to the second amount is between 60:40 and 80:20, inclusive.
38 . The composition of claim 36 , wherein the weight ratio of the first amount to the second amount is between 80:20 and 90:10, inclusive.