3D Printing Solutions
Challenge Accepted: How NanoMPI Diamondized™ The 3D Printing World
Additive manufacturing (AM) is a transformative approach to industrial production that enables the creation of lighter, stronger parts and systems. The most commonly available method of additive manufacturing is the fused deposition manufacturing (FDM) process also called 3D printing.
The evolution of the 3D printer has overcome many earlier challenges with better materials, growing industry knowledge, improved equipment and greater user support. However, there remains several downsides. Key among them:
-
Reliability
-
Strength
-
Resistance
A large percentage of additive manufacturing or fused deposition manufacturing (FDM) is accomplished by heating and then extruding plastic through a nozzle. Plastics by themselves, do not pose any great difficulty to the equipment. However, the mechanical characteristics of the base plastic can be altered with abrasive filler material. Filler materials that have the properties necessary to alter the base plastic can erode the extrusion orifice of the nozzle, changing its diameter. Once changed it is no longer possible to continue additive manufacturing at the required level of precision.
In addition to erosion, filler materials can cause clogging of the nozzle when printing at fine resolution which may lead the printer to cease printing.
In 2018, our Vice President of Engineering accepted a friendly challenge to use our detonation nanodiamond coating technology to improve the design output from a conventional 3D printer nozzle.
We don't back down from a challenge - ever.
Using two different coating technologies, we successfully coated our first Diamondized™ 3D printer nozzle in the third quarter of 2018. Originally evaluated by a small group of six users, these nozzles are very quickly becoming popular among 3D printing enthusiasts for both hobby and commercial production.
Additionally, we've developed Diamondized™ PLA NANO filament and a Diamondized™ print bed coating we call PLAceHolder™. All of these products are available for purchase through our consumer website: www.3Dnozzles.com
We are also capable of developing custom solutions for our 3D printing clients. Click the button below to schedule a consultation.
Diamondized™ Printer Nozzles
Traditional 3D printer nozzles are made of copper or brass, both “soft” materials. While inexpensive, they wear over time even when using polylactic acid (PLA) filament, and far more with filaments with more abrasive fill materials such as PETG.
The chart to the right highlights some of the important advantages nanodiamond chromed nozzles have over plain copper or brass nozzles and even premium nozzles.
We offer a wide selection of popular styles including MK 7/8, E3D® compatible, and Volcano with orifices from 0.2 to 1.0 mm.
.png)
Advantages of Using Our Diamondized™ Printer Nozzles
Greater Precision
Clog Resistant
Extended Life
Outstanding Performance with Standard Materials and Some Abrasive Filaments (e.g., PETG, Carbon-filled)
Better Thermodynamics Characterized by Minimal Temperature Drift or Overshot on Heat-Up
Three-year Limited Warranty
Additional Documentation
Fact Sheet: Diamondized™ 3D Printer Nozzles (Updated March 2021)
White Paper: "3D (Additive) Printing: Reduce Printer Nozzle Wear and Improve Deposition Accuracy" (Published March 2018)
Diamondized™ PLA NANO Filaments
Our success adding nanodiamonds in other polymer applications naturally led us to add successfully enhancing conventional polylactic acid (PLA) filament. In late 2018, we brought to market PLA NANO, a polylatic acid filament created from PLA powder infused with our detonation nanodiamonds. PLA NANO is easy-to-use, allowing the use of conventional settings for printing with PLA filament, while producing prints with superior appearance, abrasion resistant surface, stronger layer-to-layer adhesion, and strength comparable to carbon fiber filled PLA, but at a lower cost. The table below compares conventional PLA to NANO PLA filament. It's a remarkable product according to customer feedback.
Test | PLA | PLA NANO | Improvement (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
Stretch Load, Horizontal Print | 783.33 | 918.67 | 17.28% |
Stretch Load, Vertical Print | 132 | 248 | 87.88% |
Deflection Load, Horizontal Print | 184.33 | 217.83 | 18.17% |
Break Load, Horizontal Print | 70.83 | 77.67 | 9.65% |
Break Load, Vertical Print | 42 | 60.5 | 44.04% |
Additional Diamondized™ filaments are planned including ABS and PETG.
Notes: 1. Measurements are in Newtons 2. Tests are to failure/destruction
PLAceHolder™ -- Diamondized™ Print Bed Coating
A print bed coating has two straightforward functions:
(1) To hold a print in place so an accurate print is produced and
(2) To release the print without damaging it.
Common adhesives are hair spray and commercial glues. Removing the completed print usually damages the surface coating so that these are often one-time applications; further that can produce warping of the print.
Our PLAceHolder™ product is different. PLAceHolder™ is a special formulation that utilizes the surface tension of our detonation nanodiamond crystals to hold the print in place without any concern for warping. This product also permits the user to easily and quickly remove the print without damaging the coating so the coating can be reused and can even touched-up with a paint brush when needed.
When PLAce Holder™ is applied according to directions it can be used for dozens of prints before the print bed surface needs to be cleaned and the coating reapplied. In fact, in our internal production, a single coating has been used for more than 80 prints before resurfacing was done.
PLAce Holder™ can be used with both PLA and ABS filaments.
