NylonX has rapidly turn out to be one in all our favourite filaments for sturdy, sturdy, and ready-to-use elements. This is an in-depth take a look at Nylon X, and a few printing tricks to get probably the most out of this nice new materials.
Posted on September 7, 2016
by
Taylor Landry
Nylons are a unbelievable group of 3D printing supplies. Wonderful chemical, abrasion, and impression resistance coupled with its sturdiness and toughness make it an ideal selection for sturdy, practical 3D printed elements.
The primary “cons” of nylon filaments are the dearth of rigidity, comparatively excessive shrink price, and the truth that it’s extremely hygroscopic (absorbs water from the air).
Enter Nylon X.
By including chopped carbon fibers to nylon, we improve the rigidity, cut back the shrink price, and the quantity of water it will probably soak up, whereas nonetheless sustaining the sturdiness and toughness of nylon.
Ideas and really useful settings for succeeding with NylonX:
NylonX is a Nylon at its root – because of this the identical practices for 3D printing Nylon must be used. Under are specifics for NylonX, however you could find deeper info in our article ‘PRINTING WITH NYLON.’
Extruder Temperature: 250 – 265°C
Nylon X, like different nylons, will extrude at decrease temperatures, however elements simply delaminate and break when not printed sizzling sufficient. An all-metal hotend is really useful for these printing temperatures, learn extra right here.
Mattress Adhesion: 60 – 70°C heated mattress with PVA primarily based glue stick
We like Elmer’s Washable disappearing purple glue stick. Nylon does not stick effectively to BuildTak, PEI, or different related mattress surfaces. Heated glass with glue, or a sheet of Garolite LE are the very best choices.
Print Pace
There are not any particular velocity necessities or limitations for Nylon X. It prints effectively from 10 – 80mm/s relying in your nozzle measurement, temperature, and layer top settings.
Dry Filament Earlier than Printing
To dry filament, place it in an oven at 180°F – 200°F for six to eight hours. After drying, retailer in an hermetic container, ideally with desiccant. Study extra right here.
Nozzles
A chrome steel or hardened nozzle is required. Carbon fiber could be very onerous and abrasive and can rapidly abrade and wreck brass or different comfortable steel nozzles.Bigger nozzles (0.6mm and bigger) produce extremely sturdy elements. It’s because interlayer adhesion is immediately proportional to hint width. For the very best power elements, attempt printing with the most important nozzle you should utilize in your sizzling finish.
Layer cooling followers are not really useful
How does NylonX examine to different supplies?
We’ve been printing carbon fiber PLA, PETG, and ABS for some time now. The carbon fiber does the identical factor to those supplies. PLA, which is already stiff and pretty brittle, turns into even stiffer and extra brittle. PETG and ABS, that are each pretty ductile and impression resistant, additionally turn out to be significantly extra brittle with added carbon fiber. All 3 appear to delaminate simpler as effectively, which is probably going as a consequence of the truth that the fibers don’t chemically bond to the bottom resin and create what basically are tiny weak factors all through the half.
NylonX is totally different although. As a result of nylon is significantly harder and extra sturdy than ABS, PLA, and PETG, sacrificing a small quantity of impression resistance for a big improve in stiffness is a superb trade-off.
The Testing!
To point out the distinction, we 3D printed a component and did some testing.
The design is 60mm vast, 10mm deep, and 25mm tall. The unsupported span is 50mm.
They had been all printed at 0.25mm layers, 25% infill, 3 perimeters, and 5 stable high/backside layers. These settings make the bridge stable. To bridge this hole, we’ve got our bridge velocity set to 20mm/s and the cooling fan at 100%. Discovering the appropriate settings on your particular printer will relying on the ambient air temperature, how dry the filament is, your printer’s layer cooling means, and the size of the bridge.
We used a power gauge and pressed down slowly to deflect the bridge sufficient to the touch the desk.
These GIFs present the check being carried out on Nylon 645, NylonX, PLA, PETG, and PETG with carbon fiber.
Nylon 645
Nylon X
PLA
PETG
PETG with CF
We additionally shot a number of clips displaying these elements being bent by hand
PLA
PETG
Nylon X
We ran 6 elements of every materials with the power gauge. This is what we discovered:
Nylon 618: 2.6 – 3.5 lbs
Nylon X: 6.6 – 7.81 lbs
PLA : 6 -11 lbs (it generally breaks throughout first bend, and virtually all the time breaks on 2nd or third bend)
PETG: 4.5 – 7 lbs (completely creases/deforms on the bend)
Carbon Fiber PETG: 12 – 18 lb (all the time shatters on first try)
So Nylon X is simply barely much less stiff than PLA, however it maintains the toughness and sturdiness of nylon. This makes for superior practical elements.
The opposite nice characteristic of NylonX is that the carbon fibers cut back the shrink price throughout printing. When you’ve ever printed with ABS or Nylon, you’ve doubtless skilled warping or curling in your half. There are methods to assist forestall this, however NylonX just about eliminates any points with warping or curling. The added fibers assist to maintain the fabric dimensionally steady.
So, if you happen to’re searching for sturdy, sturdy, and practical elements, decide up some Nylon X and begin printing. It is superior stuff.
We shot some extra footage displaying the power of Nylon X. Keep tuned – these movies are coming quickly.
As all the time, Joyful Printing!
