Appliance Design - October 2008 - (Page 20)

PROTOTYPING The Huntsman UltraClear SL7870 is a transparent material that includes heat deflection temperatures of up to 85 DegC. A clear tray made with Huntsman UltraClear transparent material. Z Corp. 3DP Another popular 3D printer technology is one developed by Z Corp., Burlington, Mass., in which a layer of powdered polymer material is selectively bonded by the jetting of adhesive. One of the key advantages of this technology is its speed. Z Corp. says that its 3D printers are 5 times to 10 times faster than other RP technologies. Another virtue of this method is the availability of colored materials and the ability to create a multicolored part in the same build. Parts made with Z Corp. 3DP printers are typically smaller and less durable. They are generally used for concept modeling, and typically can only undergo very simple testing. It is the least costly variation of rapid prototyping technology and is often used as a quick and inexpensive concept model early in the design process. Parts made by this process that require a lot of handling can be given a post-fabrication infusion of a different material that makes the parts stronger. The company has also been developing new materials to improve the functionality and strength of such parts. New to the company’s product line is the zp140, which is a mono- chrome 3D printed material that cures with a “quick mist with tap water.” The monochrome parts require no further treatment or equipment to reach their finished strength and harden in less than half of the time of previous materials. If stronger parts are required for fit and functional testing, the parts can be augmented with Z Corp. infiltrants. Z Corp. also introduced the zp131 material that, when infiltrated with Z-Bond material, is 50 percent stronger than when printed with previous materials. These stronger parts are good for fit and functional testing. They are 115 percent whiter than previous materials and are more uniform in color across a wider range of hues, and faster to harden, enabling the printing of finer details. The company also offers a new material, dubbed Elastomeric Material, which has been optimized for infiltration with an elastomer to create parts with rubber like properties. The materials consists of a mix of cellulose, specialty fibers and other additives that combine to provide an accurate part that is capable of absorbing the elastomer and gives the parts their flexible, rubber like property. A multiple-part, prototyped valve made with Z Corp.’s 3DP system. 20 applianceDESIGN October 2008 www.applianceDESIGN.com http://www.applianceDESIGN.com

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Appliance Design - October 2008 Contents Editorial Shipments/Forecasts News Watch Prototyping - Materials Play the Part Prototyping - Mix & Match Motors Electronics Coatings Design Marts Association Report: AHRI Advertiser's Index

Appliance Design - October 2008

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