Can you 3D print in polypropylene? Yes, you can now with Airwolf 3D’s polypropylene filament and Ultra, a brand new Wolfbite solution formulated specially for use with polypropylene applications.
Did you know that only three different plastics make up over 66 percent of the TOTAL high performance plastics used in cars? Chief among these plastics, by a landslide, is polypropylene, which makes up a whopping 32 percent of the types of plastic used in automotive applications.
Why is 3D printing polypropylene so important to the automotive industry?
Polypropylene is widely used for automotive and other industrial applications because it is extremely durable and cost effective. This type of plastic is incredibly chemically resistant while being almost completely waterproof. In addition, black polypropylene is widely regarded for its superior UV resistance and is becoming increasingly more popular in the construction industry.
Polypropylene has a wide number of uses — from carpets and bottles to automotive bumpers, chemical tanks, and limitless custom solutions.
How to 3D print in polypropylene
Similar to polycarbonate, polypropylene is notorious in the 3D printing community for being difficult to work with because of bed adhesion problems. Polypropylene parts have a high tendency to warp or even completely fail to stick to the print bed. Until now.
The newest member of the Wolfbite line of premium bed adhesion solutions, Wolfbite Ultra is specifically formulated to bond polypropylene parts to your print bed.
To use Wolfbite Ultra:
1. Remove lid and dip applicator into Wolfbite solution.
2. Apply Wolfbite by painting on cold glass with long strokes, covering entire build area.
3. Allow solution to dry and repeat for a minimum of three coats.
4. Preheat bed to 80-100 degrees Celsius.
5. Apply glass onto bed and print.
When your print is complete, simply allow your glass to cool. Your newly 3D-printed polypropylene part should release easily from the build plate.
If a part remains stuck, simply rinse or soak under water until the bond loosens and the part can be removed.
Quick tip: For best results when 3D printing in polypropylene, use a 0.8mm nozzle and 0.5mm layer heights.
Accept no substitutes
Airwolf 3D AXIOM series machines are the only desktop 3D printers in their price class to print high-temperature, industrial-grade materials like polypropylene and polycarbonate. Combine that with our premium filament and proprietary Wolfbite Ultra Solution and Airwolf 3D is the hands-down choice when it comes to desktop 3D printing for the automotive and other manufacturing industries. Follow this link to learn more about our polypropylene filament 3mm.
Want to learn more about how 3D printing can save your business money and time? Give us a call at (949)478-2933 or email us at info@airwolf3d.com.
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