for di erent materials to use for a wide range
of applications that require high strength and
durability,” said Goshen. “PETG is one of the
most widely used polymers today. Because of
its advanced properties and versatility, we view
PETG as an excellent material to be used on the
manufacturing line and for short-run production
runs.”
Engineers and designers use 3D printable
parts made of PETG with speed and agility that
can withstand industrial applications, including
functional prototypes, jigs and xtures, and
end-use parts.
This industrial-grade material has a heat
de ection temperature of up to 70°C and
strong layer adhesion designed to reduce
shrinkage and warping during printing.
PETG is resistant to moisture and many
chemicals, including some alkali and
acidic substances. It can be used with
Method’s water-soluble PVA for
complex parts and e ortless support
removal.
PETG has greater strength
and exibility qualities than other
materials, such as PLA and ABS, and is
odourless when printing. Further, the
material prints with a glossy nish and has
a good degree of ductility.
Method Specialty Materials are intended for
users looking for advanced material properties.
They provide basic print performance and
can require additional work ow steps to print
successfully. PETG requires the application of an
adhesion stick to the build plate prior to printing.
MakerBot also has a line of Precision
Materials that are the primary materials
developed for Method and cover the majority
of use cases for prototyping, jigs and xtures,
and end-use parts. These materials have been
extensively tested by MakerBot for the highest
reliability and measurably accurate parts. These
materials currently include MakerBot Tough,
MakerBot PLA, and MakerBot PVA.
material properties and
automation in a new price category.”
Engineered as an automated, tinker-free
industrial 3D printing system, Method X
includes industrial features such as Dry-Sealed
Material Bays, Dual Performance Extruders,
Soluble Supports, and an Ultra-Rigid Metal
Frame. Method X’s automation and industrial
technologies create a controlled printing
environment so professionals can design, test,
and iterate faster. The lengthened thermal core
in the performance extruders are up to 50%
longer than a standard hot end to enable faster
extrusion, resulting in up to two times faster
print speeds than desktop 3D printers.
These key technologies—combined with
MakerBot ABS for Method—are designed to
help engineers achieve dimensionally-accurate,
production-grade parts at a signi cantly lower
cost than traditional manufacturing processes.
Engineers
can print repeatable
and consistent parts, such as jigs, xtures,
and end-e ectors, with a measurable
dimensional accuracy of ± 0.2mm.
This announcement from MakerBot comes
hot on the heels of its expansion of its materials
o ering with polyethylene terephthalate
glycol, better known as PETG. PETG is the
rst Specialty Material to be released for the
MakerBot Method 3D Printer. Method Specialty
Materials are designed to provide advanced
material properties for engineers who demand
even higher performance.
“PETG is the rst in a new line of materials
for Method. Our customers have been asking
Autumn 2019 www.materialsforengineering.co.uk 29
/www.materialsforengineering.co.uk