Filament 2.0 5x stronger?

[Chris Kohlhepp]

Hello,

A recent newsletter suggested your filament 2.0 is 5x stronger. Can you explain? 5 times stronger as a PLA mix without sintering or the sintered material? If sintered, how might this be possible?

Best Regards

Chris Kohlhepp

[jchambe...@go.ccad.edu]

It is really as simple as we changed the blend of our PlA and part of our manufactoring process it boils down to that we figured out how to make a better PLA blend and we added a step in post processing that strengthens the Filamet, unfortunately trade secrets prevent me from being more specific but the moral of the story it is true we have improved our product many times over, thanks for your wonderful question!

[Chris Kohlhepp]

So I have another question - more of a suggestion really. HTPLA. Would that help for people without kilns? You might get even more strength that way... Just an idea. In short, instead of the candling step add a crystallising step. Just a thought. 

[jchambe...@go.ccad.edu]

The point of the kiln process is to eliminate the PLA altogether so wouldn't be any point in having a heat treatable plastic we go through this process to remove the plastic, people who don't have a kiln don't need to worry about it a print can be polished to look pretty much like metal, an untrained eye can hardly tell the difference the firing process is just for those looking to have solid metal pieces but it isn't a necessary step at all.

[jchambe...@go.ccad.edu]

Also without firing I might at a print in Filamet™ is much stronger than plastics, Whenever I print in plastic I find it frustrating as it does things like warp while printing, not a problem to be had with Filamet™ at all

[Chris Kohlhepp]

Hello Jeremy, you are right about the warp. Your filament essentially has none that I've observed. I have however observed that non-fired parts are substantially weaker than even corresponding plastic parts, e.g. ABS. Simply dropping causes breakage. So while polishing works well on non-fired parts (great for that mantle piece) I would not trust them for anything functional resembling the use of metal. That is what I was having in mind re HTPLA as binder agent...

[jchambe...@go.ccad.edu]

I love your enthusiasm you are wonderful and your questions are great, as I said in our private correspondence there is more to strength that weather or not something shatters when thrown, and actually if you print say a cube and chuck it at the floor I promise you it would not shatter, plus Filament™ compression strength is much more than plastic, you would like our printable tungsten it can stop a .22 bullet it may be available soon 

[Chris Kohlhepp]

I really like your filament. It prints beautifully with essentially zero warp. Where I've experienced breakage is not around chucking stuff to the floor but much simpler. I would Polish with a mini bench grinder that I put polishing wheels on. Turn the part to Polish from a different angle, let go for a fraction of a second, parts hits the surface with the momentum if the fluffy buffing wheel friction - like trajectory of 5 inches - broken. Really frustrating when it's that final polish. Back to the printer, start again. I am using your pre 2.0 filament I suspect.