1 (edited by Ggalisky 2014-12-01 00:33:18)

Topic: [TPE] - Versaflex

Extruder type: Standard Filastruder with 1.75mm melt filter, full barrel insulation, hopper shaker, and vertical setup with winder.
Picture of my set up:
http://i.imgur.com/nlHCumX.jpg
On the winder laser sensor, I added straws where the PTFE goes to help guide the filament better.
You can find more pictures on my imgur here: http://ggalisky.imgur.com/all/
Printer type: SD2, E3D v6, Bulldog XL, Glass bed, and Lawsy's Carriages.

Extrusion
Extrusion temperature: 190 °C
Extrusion rate: 11 inches per minute.
Average diameter of filament: 1.45mm
Tolerances: + or – 0.05mm

Comments
I got this from Revolve 3D as an experimental material to test out. An awesome characteristic about this material is that is does not have to be pre-dried prior to extrusion or printing. The extruded filament looks like PP (polypropylene), and has similar flexibility. I’m sure if you wanted to you could spool this material on to much smaller spools than you would use for ABS because of its flexibly. Really cool stuff, and I can definitely see lots of applications for this material. Straight from the MSDS, "ideal for healthcare and food packaging... Flexible... High Clarity". I have not tried mixing this material with TPU, but according to Rob over at revolve 3D, they mix well. When compared to the TPU I got from revolve 3D, this is much more cloudy and less elastic. Also, this material is much easier to compress then to stretch, and if you stretch the filament too much, it will not reform where as TPU would.
Printing
Setting my glass bed to 104°C, the hot end to 240°C, the extrusion multiplier to 150% for the first layer, and using a coat of PVA glue worked moderately well against warping. This is a slightly difficult material to print. Without the use of a heated bed to print this material, it warps like crazy and adhesion to the bed sucks. Layer bonding is slightly more than ABS, but still nowhere near nylon. One thing you do have to watch out for is the filament wrapping around your hobbed bolt, but if you have a fully constrained extrusion path things should work well. If the material does get wrapped around your hobbed bolt and you have a closed cold end design like the bull dog, all you need to do is release tension, pull up on the filament, and retract 100mm. The spiral vase setting in slic3r is quite slow, making the print time for the vase around 2 hours and 15 minutes. I did not have a problem with delamintion, however, after flexing the vase around for a good 15 minutes a few layers started to come apart. I also stepped on another vase I printed in this material, and it broke along the layers, but still mostly held together. My thinking is that you could achieve better layer bonding by using a higher printing temp.

Brittleness
1-10 scale, 1 is TPU and 10 is acrylic. 2
Layer bonding
1-10 scale, 1 is Nylon and 10 is acrylic. 5


Comparison to commercial TPE filament: N/A

Pictures:
http://i.imgur.com/xLpXXtb.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/jfqpNcT.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Kw5lTjF.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/yqEM585.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/3TsyE05.jpg

Questions? Comments? Feel free to send me a PM, or post a reply down below!

Ulitmaker 2, a few repraps, Custom Big FFF 3D printer with heated chamber.

My Blog http://ggalisky.weebly.com/
My Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXShYo … aDUpebDAOw

2

Re: [TPE] - Versaflex

Where did you get the name "Versaflex" ? On my pack from Revolve3D there was no mention of that name.

3 (edited by AndersE 2014-11-30 10:55:11)

Re: [TPE] - Versaflex

Also. Try to mix with some ABS and see what you get wink (they mix really good)

4

Re: [TPE] - Versaflex

AndersE wrote:

Where did you get the name "Versaflex" ? On my pack from Revolve3D there was no mention of that name.

I never got a pack... Just 2 pounds of the stuff. Search Versflex CL E95. Are you sure your not talking about TPU that Revolve 3D sent out?

Ulitmaker 2, a few repraps, Custom Big FFF 3D printer with heated chamber.

My Blog http://ggalisky.weebly.com/
My Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXShYo … aDUpebDAOw

5

Re: [TPE] - Versaflex

ok i missed that it said TPE..not TPU.

Confusing with all these names.

So it is NOT a rubbery flexy type?

6 (edited by n2ri 2015-02-06 04:28:42)

Re: [TPE] - Versaflex

I would use a surge protected power strip for all those plugs and power packs. and maybe a bold printed warning sign posted on plywood below the wrench. hehe just my $0.02

whats the vintage detector with 8 button keypad and LED readout?

Solidoodle 2 with Deluxe kit cover & glass bed with heater. and 2nd board SD2 used not 3rd and alum platform not installed yet still wood. also need cooling fan installed to board. use Repetier Host couple vers. Slic3r also have all free ware STL programs

7 (edited by wkinne 2015-02-06 13:58:37)

Re: [TPE] - Versaflex

Have you ever extruded and printed ABS Prime 555 by Styron? Sold to Styron by Dow Chemical. I have 718 pounds recently donated by Styron for a project, Styron told me they know of no one 3D printing with their ABS but said it's melt flow and other numbers are within those of other ABS types being used.

I am building a Lyman V5 filament extruder with a Filastruder 1.75 screen nozzle, it is 95% complete I am just wating for a last few parts to arrive.

I also have about 10,000 pounds of virgin pellets of what I think is HDPE and PP intended for injection molding I acquired through an abandoned freight deal, I will try to extrude and print with it also. I know for sure 2000 pounds of it is HDPE intended for injection molding, the other 8 gaylords are a guess so far. Have you worked with anything like this?

tia

Wayne

8

Re: [TPE] - Versaflex

wkinne wrote:

Have you ever extruded and printed ABS Prime 555 by Styron? Sold to Styron by Dow Chemical. I have 718 pounds recently donated by Styron for a project, Styron told me they know of no one 3D printing with their ABS but said it's melt flow and other numbers are within those of other ABS types being used.

I am building a Lyman V5 filament extruder with a Filastruder 1.75 screen nozzle, it is 95% complete I am just wating for a last few parts to arrive.

I also have about 10,000 pounds of virgin pellets of what I think is HDPE and PP intended for injection molding I acquired through an abandoned freight deal, I will try to extrude and print with it also. I know for sure 2000 pounds of it is HDPE intended for injection molding, the other 8 gaylords are a guess so far. Have you worked with anything like this?

tia

Wayne

I have never worked with that much volume. I do have experience with PP and several types of ABS.
PP review: http://www.soliforum.com/topic/8327/pp-polypropylene/
ABS review: http://www.soliforum.com/topic/7844/abs … grind-abs/

Ulitmaker 2, a few repraps, Custom Big FFF 3D printer with heated chamber.

My Blog http://ggalisky.weebly.com/
My Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXShYo … aDUpebDAOw

9

Re: [TPE] - Versaflex

I have some injection moldable grade of Nylon 6 virgin pellets I would like to see if you can turn into filament. I also have some natural styrene for purging if that is of interest to you?

10

Re: [TPE] - Versaflex

paretz wrote:

I have some injection moldable grade of Nylon 6 virgin pellets I would like to see if you can turn into filament. I also have some natural styrene for purging if that is of interest to you?

I have been really busy lately, but send me a PM and Ill get back to you asap.

Ulitmaker 2, a few repraps, Custom Big FFF 3D printer with heated chamber.

My Blog http://ggalisky.weebly.com/
My Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXShYo … aDUpebDAOw