Ethan Clarke
Shapeways' strong and flexible plastic is a versatile material used for 3D printing. It is made of nylon powder, which is fused together using a technique called selective laser sintering (SLS). This process creates a durable and flexible plastic that can be used for a wide range of applications, from prototyping to end products. When thin, it is flexible enough for hinges and springs, and when thick, it is strong enough for structural components. The material is also lightweight and impact-resistant, making it suitable for a variety of products, from iPhone cases to medical devices.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Material | Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] |
| Composition | Nylon powder |
| Printing technique | Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) |
| Thickness | Thin enough to bend without breaking, thick enough for structural strength |
| Uses | iPhone cases, parts for remote-controlled quadcopters, bikini bottoms, board game parts, hinges, springs, interlocking parts, jewellery, art, home decor, phone cases, etc. |
| Finish | Smooth, premium |
| Colors | Black, white |
| Texture | Smooth, slight shine |
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What You'll Learn
Strong & Flexible plastic is printed using Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
Strong & Flexible Plastic is a material used by Shapeways for 3D printing. It is a versatile material that can be used to make anything from iPhone cases to parts for remote-controlled quadcopters to bikini bottoms. It is a rare material that can be thick enough to provide structural strength and thin enough to bend without breaking, like a hinge or a spring.
Strong & Flexible plastic models are printed using Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), a powder-based 3D printing technology. SLS uses a laser to fuse material layers into a final part. The laser traces the pattern of each cross-section of a 3D design onto a bed of powder. After one layer is built, the build platform lowers, and another layer is built on top of the previous layer. This process continues until every layer is built and the part is complete.
SLS is a popular choice for functional applications, including those with snap fits, living hinges, and other mechanical joints. It is also used for low- to mid-volume end-use parts like enclosures, snap-fit parts, automotive moldings, and thin-walled ducting. The material range and platform sizes available for SLS make it suitable for the direct production of products requiring strength and heat resistance.
SLS is a self-supporting additive manufacturing technology. The product lies in a bed of powder as it builds, so no supplementary support structures are required. This capability allows SLS to produce geometries that other technologies cannot.
SLS uses production-grade nylon materials, resulting in durable, functional parts. The robustness of SLS makes this technology great for prototyping and end-use applications. SLS parts exhibit strong mechanical properties and isotropic behavior, meaning they perform consistently in all directions.
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It is made from Nylon powder
Shapeways' strong and flexible plastic is made from Nylon powder. This plastic is also known as XSF and is created using a technique called selective laser sintering (SLS). SLS uses a laser to fuse or sinter nylon powder together, layer by layer. The resulting plastic is strong and flexible, with thicker areas providing structural strength and thinner areas that can bend without breaking. This makes it a versatile material for a wide range of applications, from iPhone cases to hinges and springs.
Nylon 12, also known as PA12, is a type of durable nylon plastic used by Shapeways that can be printed using SLS. When thin, it is flexible enough for hinges and springs, and when thick, it is strong enough for structural components. Nylon 12 is available in standard white but can be dyed in eight different colours and comes in Natural, Processed, and Premium finishes. The Premium finish offers a higher quality look and feel with a smoother, glossier surface.
Shapeways also offers a Premium Strong and Flexible nylon plastic, which is their most popular and versatile material. This finish provides a smoother, glossier surface and is perfect for functional parts like phone cases, interlocking mechanisms, jewellery, art, and home decor. The Premium finish is created using a multi-step tumbling, polishing, and dyeing process to achieve a consistent colour and surface finish, removing the grainy feel and layered look of standard 3D-printed parts.
Nylon, as a material, is known for its durability and flexibility. It is strong enough to be used in structural components and flexible enough to be used in hinges and springs. The flexibility of nylon allows it to bend without breaking, making it a versatile material for a wide range of applications. The strength and flexibility of nylon plastic make it a popular choice for 3D printing and manufacturing.
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It is versatile and can be used for a wide range of applications
Shapeways' strong and flexible plastic is a versatile material with a wide range of applications. It is a durable nylon plastic that can be used for both prototyping and end products. When printed thinly, it is flexible enough for hinges and springs, while thicker prints are strong enough for structural components.
This material is suitable for a variety of products, from iPhone cases to parts for remote-controlled quadcopters, bikini bottoms, and board game pieces. Its versatility allows for almost any shape to be printed, making it a good choice for complex designs.
The strong and flexible plastic is also used in creating custom HO Scale slot car chassis with adjustable wheelbases and car bodies that snap onto the chassis. The lightweight yet tough material is ideal for toy race cars, where reducing weight is crucial to performance.
In addition, this plastic is suitable for functional parts such as interlocking mechanisms, phone cases, and jewellery. It can also be used in art, home decor, and personal accessories like eyeglasses and keychains.
With its versatility, durability, and flexibility, Shapeways' strong and flexible plastic is a popular choice for bringing 3D print ideas to life.
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It is durable and flexible
Shapeways' strong and flexible plastic is a durable and versatile nylon material. It is a popular choice for 3D printing due to its ability to be used in a wide range of applications, from prototyping to end products. The material is strong enough to be used for structural components and can also be made thin enough to be flexible, making it suitable for hinges, springs, and interlocking parts. This flexibility allows designers to create almost any shape, making it a good choice for those new to 3D printing.
The strength of the plastic comes from its thick areas, which provide structural support, while its thinner sections offer bendability without breakage. This unique combination of durability and flexibility makes it suitable for a variety of products, from iPhone cases to remote-controlled quadcopter parts and bikini bottoms. Its lightweight nature also makes it ideal for applications where weight reduction is crucial, such as in toy race cars.
Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] is a specific type of durable nylon plastic offered by Shapeways that can be used for both prototyping and end products. When printed using Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), it can be thin and flexible for hinges and springs or thick and sturdy for structural components. This material is also available in a Premium finish, which provides a higher quality look and feel with a smoother, glossier surface.
Another durable and flexible plastic offered by Shapeways is PA11, which is made from renewable raw materials. PA11 is optimal for exterior medical applications due to its high impact resistance and excellent chemical resistance. It is also environmentally friendly and easy to recycle, making it a sustainable choice for industrial applications.
Overall, Shapeways' strong and flexible plastic is a durable, versatile, and flexible material that enables designers to create a wide range of products, making it a popular choice for 3D printing applications.
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It can be used to make products with interlocking parts
Shapeways' strong and flexible plastic is a versatile material that can be used to make products with interlocking parts. This material is created through Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), a process where a laser sinters or fuses together nylon powder, layer by layer. The resulting product is flexible enough to be bent without breaking, making it ideal for hinges, springs, and interlocking mechanisms.
One example of a product with interlocking parts that can be made with this plastic is custom HO Scale Slot car chassis, which feature an adjustable wheelbase. The strong and flexible plastic is durable enough to withstand crashes without bending or breaking, and its lightweight nature makes it ideal for toy race cars where reducing weight is crucial to performance.
Another example is board game parts created by Roolz, the designer behind the PMG Shapeways shop. Roolz creates board game pieces that can replace lost parts or enhance games such as Forbidden Stars, Puerto Rico, and Mice and Mystics. The flexibility of the material allows for the creation of interlocking parts that can be easily assembled, making it a good choice for board game components.
The strong and flexible plastic offered by Shapeways is also suitable for functional parts like phone cases, jewellery, art, and home decor. The material can be finished with a multi-step tumbling, polishing, and dyeing process to create a consistent colour and surface finish, enhancing the smoothness and glossiness of the product.
Additionally, Shapeways offers Nylon 12 (Versatile Plastic) in standard white, which can be dyed in eight different colours. This material is also flexible when thin and can be used for springs and interlocking parts. When thicker, it becomes strong enough for structural components and end-use parts in critical applications like medicine.
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Frequently asked questions
Strong and flexible plastic is used for a wide range of applications, from prototyping to end products. It can be used to make anything from iPhone cases to parts for remote-controlled quadcopters to bikini bottoms.
Strong and flexible plastic is made of nylon powder, which is fused together using a technique called selective laser sintering (SLS).
One of the benefits of using strong and flexible plastic is that it allows for almost any shape, so it's hard to design something that can't be printed. It's also durable, flexible, and has great mechanical properties.
