PEEK into the Future: How the Roboze ARGO 500 is Revolutionizing Printing with PEEK
The development of 3D printing technology and PEEK's outstanding qualities have made it more and more common in a variety of sectors. PEEK is acknowledged as a challenging material to print with, nonetheless. In this blog post, we'll talk about the difficulties with 3D printing PEEK and how Tronix3D's Roboze ARGO 500 printer can produce parts of excellent quality.
The Challenges Printing with PEEK:
Due to its special characteristics, such as high melting and crystallization temperatures, high viscosity, shrinkage rate, warpage, and annealing needs, PEEK poses a number of difficulties for 3D printing.
Because of PEEK's high melting point, its extrusion temperature can reach 450°C. The high thermal difference between the extrusion temperature and ambient temperature has the potential to create thermal shock, which can result in residual tensions and retraction forces in the printed object. PEEK is more challenging to print than materials like PLA or Nylon because of its high viscosity and high crystallization temperature.
Shrinkage rate and warpage are also significant challenges when 3D printing with PEEK. A high shrinkage rate can result in part inaccuracies and warping, where the edges of the part lift from the build plate. Warpage occurs because the stress concentration in the notch areas causes the part to detach from the build plate as the polymer cools and retracts.
Another challenge associated with PEEK is the annealing process. Annealing is a thermal post-process necessary to increase the crystallinity of the material, remove thermal stresses, and limit dimensional changes at high temperatures. However, annealing can introduce complications such as dimensional changes, discrepancies in crystallinity between the inside and outside of the component, and potential failure of the process, leading to deformation or discoloration of the part.
Roboze identified these issues and, by utilizing revolutionary 3D printing methods, effectively overcame them to generate high-quality PEEK prints with great material characteristics and dimensional precision.
Roboze's Innovative Solutions: HVP Extruder and Heated Chamber
Roboze has developed state-of-the-art solutions to tackle PEEK's challenges, including the HVP Extruder and the heated chamber featured in their Argo500, available through Tronix3D.
The HVP Extruder, designed by Roboze's R&D department, facilitates the extrusion process of high-viscosity polymers like PEEK. Its internal ceramic channel reduces friction, ensuring an optimized polymer flow and reducing shrinkage phenomena. This results in improved dimensional tolerances and preservation of the material's chemical-physical properties.
Another game-changing technology for PEEK 3D printing is the heated chamber system from Roboze. The ARGO 500 has an insulated heated chamber with a two-hour 180°C temperature rise capability. This regulated atmosphere makes it possible to heat materials uniformly and reduce shrinkage rate, which results in complete crystallization of the polymers during deposition. By doing away with annealing, the heated chamber guarantees improved material characteristics and great precision of the printed part.
In summary, Tronix3D's Roboze ARGO 500 3D printer offers innovative solutions to address the challenges of PEEK 3D printing.
Trust Tronix3D for Exceptional PEEK 3D Printing Solutions
PEEK 3D printing presents unique challenges, such as high melting temperature, high viscosity, and high shrink rate. However, Tronix3D's Roboze ARGO 500 printer, effectively overcomes these challenges to deliver high-quality PEEK parts with excellent dimensional tolerances and material properties.
By choosing Tronix3D, you can trust our expertise in 3D printing with PEEK to ensure that you receive the best possible products, tailored to your specific needs and applications. Don't hesitate to contact us today and explore the benefits of our cutting-edge PEEK 3D printing solutions.
Sources:
https://www.roboze.com/en/resources/peek-3d-printing-what-does-a-3d-printer-need-to-print-peek.html