Something to consider when giving feedback to filament suppliers.
Something to consider when giving feedback to suppliers.
3D printing has 3 corner stones, machines, software and filaments/materials. Filament development for FDM must continue beyond just new types of plastics turned into filament.
There is a need for existing filament types to be improved. Metal 3D printing requires new alloys to meet similar use requirements as traditional metal forging. Grinding up 6061 aluminum and then using it in a 3D printer will NOT get 6061 equivalent strength/yield results. There are new alloys being developed for Metal 3D printing to get the needed results. In a similar way, we need filaments to improve.
One example. I have started using a recent update of a PETG brand. It adheres to the bed better and and warps less. The difference was advertised and I saw it in my use. Near 0 failure rate with the updated PETG, but near 40% print failure for "classic" PETG. It was an I-beam project with long I-beams. The failure was the I-beams warping and pulling up from the bed. Same G code for both filaments, programmed for the "Classic" PETG initially. I think that the other filament suppliers I have been using need to catch up.
Filament suppliers have begun to understand the need for manufacturing consistency. Now I am looking for continued improvement of existing and new filaments.