PPSF 3D Printing
PPSF is an outstanding engineering thermoplastic material with excellent chemical corrosion resistance and is one of the best corrosion resistance materials available for FDM printing. It is ideal for manufacturing end parts that need to be used in harsh chemical environments, especially in the automotive, aerospace and medical sectors.
About 3D Printing in PPSF
PPSF is a kind of engineering plastics with excellent chemical stability, mechanical strength and high temperature resistance, excellent mechanical properties, tensile strength of up to 70MPa or more, second only to ULTEM, excellent chemical stability and corrosion resistance to various strong acids, alkali and organic solvents, and excellent corrosion resistance. It is one of the best mechanical properties of FDM printing materials after ULTEM. At the same time,PPSF can also withstand a variety of high-temperature autoclave processes, making it ideal for the manufacture of medical and laboratory equipment requiring sterility and corrosion
3D Printed PPSF at a Glance
| Application | Automotive components, medical prototypes, and jigs |
| Advantages | Temperature resistance, excellent mechanical properties, excellent chemical resistance |
| Disadvantages | High cost |
| Lead Time | 1 day |
| Price | $$ |
| Minimum Feature Size | 0.010" (0.254 mm) for parts below 16" (406.4 mm) and 0.013" (0.330 mm) for parts above 16" (406.4 mm) |
| Tolerances | Z plane: +/- 0.010” (0.254 mm) for the first inch, plus +/- 0.002” (0.0508 mm) for every inch thereafter. XY plane: +/- 0.004” (0.1016 mm) for the first inch, plus +/- 0.002” (0.0508 mm) for every inch thereafter. |
| Layer Height | 0.010" (0.254 mm) for parts below 16" (406.4 mm) and 0.013" (0.330 mm) for parts above 16" (406.4 mm) |
| Max Part Size | 24” x 36” x 36” (610 mm x 915 mm x 915 mm) |
FDM PPSF
Due to its superior chemical resistance, PPSF is ideal for parts that require better corrosion and high temperature resistance than standard engineering plastics. Typical applications include:
- The transmission filter or fuel tank prototype inside the engine needs to resist oil erosion.
- Laboratory chemical reagent bottles need to resist the erosion of various acid-base reagents.
- Medical catheters and connecting tubes need to resist the erosion of drugs and disinfectants.
FDM PPSF Properties
| Tensile Strength (MPa) | Elongation at Break (%) | Hardness (Rockwell) | Heat Deflection Temperature (℃) | Glass Transition (℃) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 3 | M86 | 189 | 230 |
Finishes
Using FDM technology to print PPSF material parts, the post-processing scope is more limited, mainly by removing the print support and minor grinding to achieve basic post-processing.
PPSF materials only offer tan as an option, and the appearance cannot be personalized through color changes. If you need special appearance, you can carry out customized post-processing such as spray painting and spraying.
However, on the whole, the post-processing ability of FDM printing PPSF parts is more limited, and the surface texture is difficult to achieve a high degree of smoothness.
Cost-saving Design Tips
When printing PPSF using FDM technology, the following design strategies need to be noted:
- The printing direction makes the overhang part need to be supported, and large inner cavity design should be avoided. Soluble support materials can be used, but with added complexity.
- Compared with other FDM plastics,PPSF has higher Z-axial strength, but the design of vertical loading direction should be avoided.
- PPSF is a high grade engineering plastic, not recommended for visual prototypes or non-harsh environment parts, more economical alternatives can be considered.
- Fully assess the need for PPSF according to the use environment and load conditions.