SoliForum - 3D Printing Community — Filament with metal powder

Re: Filament with metal powder

null@example.com (nanolab) — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 10:42:45 +0000

elmoret wrote:

The supplied motor produces less than 10W of mechanical power. I doubt excessive pressures are possible. Even still, if the barrel split there would be nearly zero stored energy (as contrasted with compressible gasses). I've blocked the nozzle before with no ill effects, usually the extruder screw stalls (keeps rotating but pressure does not increase). I would surmise that the deadhead pressure is only a few hundred PSI.
With that said, thanks for sharing your experience here!

Good point! I guess the screw design also doesn't allow too much pressure to build either.

Re: Filament with metal powder

null@example.com (nanolab) — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 10:38:37 +0000

Hi Jesse: we will be doing these same experiments this summer. I will let you and the rest of this forum know how it turns out. What we don't have is a brabender or banbury mixer, which helps to compound the particles into the plastic uniformly. So I will use plastics I can solvate, (e.g. ABS)

Re: Filament with metal powder

null@example.com (jesse) — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 01:51:46 +0000

If anyone's interested in trying it, I can buy the powder and have it shipped to you.

The catch is I would like some filament assuming it works.

Re: Filament with metal powder

null@example.com (elmoret) — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 21:42:58 +0000

nanolab wrote:

Another obvious note is to ensure that your particles are small enough for your die. In practice, that means the particles must be smaller than 1/12 of the die diameter. My only worry with the filastruder is the lack of a die pressure gauge. Its nice to know if your pressure is climbing out of the realm of safety.

The supplied motor produces less than 10W of mechanical power. I doubt excessive pressures are possible. Even still, if the barrel split there would be nearly zero stored energy (as contrasted with compressible gasses). I've blocked the nozzle before with no ill effects, usually the extruder screw stalls (keeps rotating but pressure does not increase). I would surmise that the deadhead pressure is only a few hundred PSI.

With that said, thanks for sharing your experience here!

Re: Filament with metal powder

null@example.com (nanolab) — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 21:11:04 +0000

Hi all:
We are working with adding carbon nanotubes to ABS and to a TPE with good results, although our loadings are modest. In the past, I extruded ceramic polymer blends through a 1" 24:1 killion extruder. I extruded a piezoelectric material (PZT), the YBaCuO superconductor, and a ferrite ceramic, often in a LDPE at loadings up to 50wt%. The wear was not as bad as you'd expect. The trick for all of them was to add a very low molecular weight lubricant to the blend. I used a couple types of oils to drop the extrusion pressure and lubricate the particles as they flow thru the die.
Another obvious note is to ensure that your particles are small enough for your die. In practice, that means the particles must be smaller than 1/12 of the die diameter. My only worry with the filastruder is the lack of a die pressure gauge. Its nice to know if your pressure is climbing out of the realm of safety.
Once we finish with the CNT loaded ABS, we will be looking at metal filled filament.
thanks,
David C.

Re: Filament with metal powder

null@example.com (cmetzel) — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 14:22:33 +0000

elmoret wrote:

Its hard for me to buy that. Shapeways told me their test sample extruder's nozzles wear out pretty quickly on alumina powder. Maybe ColorFabb has some secret sauce, but I'd think sliding an abrasive which is harder than the orifice material through said orifice would produce wear.

Ceramic coating on the nozzle? Titanium Nitride?

Re: Filament with metal powder

null@example.com (DePartedPrinter) — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 20:42:53 +0000

elmoret wrote:

Maybe ColorFabb has some secret sauce, but I'd think sliding an abrasive which is harder than the orifice material through said orifice would produce wear.

Lube?

Re: Filament with metal powder

null@example.com (elmoret) — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 19:59:01 +0000

Its hard for me to buy that. Shapeways told me their test sample extruder's nozzles wear out pretty quickly on alumina powder. Maybe ColorFabb has some secret sauce, but I'd think sliding an abrasive which is harder than the orifice material through said orifice would produce wear.

Re: Filament with metal powder

null@example.com (jesse) — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 19:41:49 +0000

jamesshuang wrote:

I've thought about doing that, but those metal powders tend to be abrasive. You'd have to replace the nozzle relatively frequently from what I've heard...

According to colorFabb, the metal powder is very fine and does not wear down the nozzle opening. They mentioned that they plan to release other metal powder filament in the future.

Re: Filament with metal powder

null@example.com (jamesshuang) — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 02:18:07 +0000

I've thought about doing that, but those metal powders tend to be abrasive. You'd have to replace the nozzle relatively frequently from what I've heard...

Filament with metal powder

null@example.com (jesse) — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 21:23:57 +0000

I lent my Filastruder to a fellow 3d printer and don't have the ability to test this myself.

Is anyone interested in mixing some metal powder into filament?

Powders: http://www.ebay.com/sch/mercurysavage/m.html

Example: http://www.3ders.org/articles/20140512- … nters.html