Best heat resistant 3D printing polymers

Introduction

3D printing technology stands out for many reasons compared to the traditional manufacturing techniques. One of these reasons is that it’s compatible with many heat-resistant 3D printing materials, just like many materials used in the traditional manufacturing fields. There is a wide variety of materials that are heat resistant and can be used both by professional engineers and 3D printing hobbyists.

Naturally, heat-resistant plastics represent an important portion of heat resistant materials, but there are several other material choices to create parts that will be exposed to heat, such as resins or metals. In this article, we will be focusing on the best 3D printing plastics for heat resistance purposes, and we’ll also examine Ultracur3D® RG 3280 as an interesting choice.

Heat Resistant 3D Printed Polymers

Plastic is still the most common material used in Additive Manufacturing. That’s because plastics allows both for prototyping and production at a relatively lower cost than the other 3D printing materials.

Consequently, due to their extensive use, plastics have many variations regarding their mechanical properties, and are versatile for common high-performance applications. Let’s see which are the best heat resistant 3D printing plastics:

Multijet Fusion PA12

Our Multijet Fusion PA12 parts are created from a fine polyamide powder. This innovative material provided by HP has many outstanding properties over conventional 3D printed plastics, as it’s water resistant, has an excellent resistance to chemicals, alcohols, fuels, detergents, oils, fats etc. On top of that, the Multi Jet Fusion PA12 objects are well suited for applications requiring heat resistance to high temperatures.

The material has gone through many experiments regarding its heat-resistant properties, like Glow Wire Ignition and Flammability testing. According to the White Card provided by HP, “The results obtained certify that the material can resist exposure to a range of 700 °C to 800 °C depending on the dimensions and thickness of the part. The fact that this material has a Glow Wire rating of 700 °C at a minimum thickness means that it can be considered acceptable when application requirements specify temperatures below 700 °C.”

It is important to highlight that HP 3D High Reusability PA 12 was the only 3D printing plastic material whose Glow Wire Flammability and Ignition performance had been certified by UL when the White Card was obtained.

Moreover, regarding its flammability properties, the Multijet Fusion PA 12 material ’s flammability degree is obtained and certified by UL is HB at a 0.75 mm thickness. More specifically, the material tolerates slow burning on a horizontal position (at a burning rate ≤ 75 mm/min for thicknesses < 3 mm or burning stops before 100 mm).

That being said, the Multijet Fusion PA 12 is the perfect plastic to choose for projects where an important amount of heat is generated. For additional info about other technical or mechanical properties of the HP Multijet Fusion PA12 material, you can check out the dedicated page.

Moreover, we invite you to read the UL 94 and UL 746A Certification for our HP Multijet Fusion PA12 for even more detailed information regarding the flammability and electric conductivity of this 3D Printing material.

Grey Nylon Glass-Filled

Grey nylon glass filled is a variation of Nylon, as it’s made out of polyamide powder and glass fibers, thus it’s stiffer and more resistant than the standard Nylon PA 12. It is 3D printed using Selective Laser Sintering, or SLS. This material presents high durability and strength, meaning it can be used in cases that demand high thermal conditions or in applications that require particular high heat distortion temperature.

Since its melting point is 176 °C (249 °F), it will be a great choice for parts and objects with technical requirements. Thus, it perfectly fits projects where technical constraints are paramount, such as in the automotive industry, where it’s used for the creation of car engines final parts.

Read more about the thermal properties of this material on the dedicated datasheet of Glass-filled grey Nylon.

Focus on Heat Resistant 3D Printed Photopolymer Resin

Ultracur3D® RG 3280

Ultracur3D® RG 3280 has many interesting properties. Due to its ceramic content, this photolymer resin presents a high stiffness, and is able to withstand extremely high temperatures, with a Heat Deflection Temperature at 0.45 MPa superior to 280°C, all while providing a beautiful and smooth surface finish.

These characteristics are making it an amazing choice if you need a material that is both very precise and extremely resistant to high temperatures. Due to its specific composition, this 3D printing material also provides protection against electrical conductivity.

Therefore, it could be used to create all kinds of objects, whether functional and practical like in electrical insulation, or industrial applications where stiffness and thermal resistance are required, or it could also be used strictly for aesthetic purposes, thanks to its smooth surface finish.

Are you looking for another material?

Be sure to visit our Materials Page, where we offer a wide range of 3D Printing Materials for all your different needs.

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