Novel composite improves prototyping performance
An
Accelerated Technologies product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Jun 6, 2003
Accelerated Technologies can now produce rapid prototypes in a new, ceramic-filled material for stereolithography.
Accelerated Technologies can now produce rapid prototypes in a new, ceramic-filled material for stereolithography.
ProtoTool 20L, from DSM Somos, is a composite material that blends ceramic filler and photopolymer to yield mechanical and thermal properties that are unmatched by any other stereolithography resin.
Accelerated Technologies has used ProtoTool 20L for prototyping applications that required strength, rigidity and thermal resistance that could not be achieved with any other stereolithography resin.
ProtoTool 20L offers a heat deflection temperature (HDT) of 102C, and with an optional thermal postcure, the HDT reaches an impressive 269C.
As would be expected from a ceramic material, ProtoTool is extremely rigid with a flexural strength of 20,000lb/in2.
In addition, ProtoTool 20L offers a tensile strength of 11,200lb/in2.
Mike Durham, General Manager of Accelerated Technologies' Prototyping Division, stated, "Having relied on selective laser sintering for most of our functional prototypes, we are pleased that ProtoTool provides a new alternative - one that offers excellent material properties while delivering the sharp details and good surface finish for which stereolithography is known".
Durham continued, "We were surprised to find that ProtoTool 20L can be easily sanded for applications that require smooth surfaces on the functional prototypes, such as an impeller".
When compared with the widely used Somos 9100 series resins, ProtoTool 20L has six times the flexural strength, two and a half times the tensile strength and up to three and a half times the heat deflection temperature.
With these properties, Accelerated Technologies believes that ProtoTool will be in demand for functional prototypes like impellers, pump housings, headlight reflectors and wind tunnel test models.
DSM Somos expects that ProtoTool 20L will be commercially available in early July 2003.
This is the first of a series of materials to be developed in the ACT-SL advanced composite technology for stereolithography product line.
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