SL resin builds durable plastic parts
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Research firm DSM Somos in Elgin, Ill., says it has developed a stereolithography (SL) resin that brings companies one step closer to building durable plastic parts without tooling. Dubbed DMXSLT 100, the new resin has an impact strength of up to 0.80 J/cm, the stiffness of standard ABS-type materials, and a flexural modulus that ranges from 2,000 to 2,400 MPa. DMX-SLT 100 is thus rigid, yet bendable.
"Stereolithography has been successfully used to build hearing-aid shells, jigs for product assemblies, and interior products such as custom lamp shades," says Somos Product Development Manager Brian Bauman. "But until now, the brittleness of SL resins has limited their use for direct manufacturing. Even RP technologies that use molten or sintered thermoplastics to ensure durability sacrifice aesthetics and dimensional consistency. In contrast, DMX-SLT 100 combines the accuracy of SL with the durability of sintered nylon," he says.
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DSM Somos, dsmsomos.com