Usage of Fluorodur
in Institute of Geology
in Czech Academy of Science

Fillamentum Industrial introduces new industrial material, engineering filament Fluorodur, that was made using Kynar® PVDF by Arkema. „With properties such as high temperature resistance, chemical resistance and hardness, Fluorodur replaced PEEK filament in our institution, “says Tomas Fertek, research engineer in Geological institution of The Czech Academy of Science.

At the Geological Institute of GAC, Fluorodur is used for printing sealing for equipment measuring deformations on samples of rock. The sealing is fitted into a rubber “sleeve” in which there is a sample of rock. The whole pack is inserted into a pressure chamber. The samples of rock are pressed by the piston passing through the “sleeve”. There is also a hydraulic oil around the sleeve and simulates a triaxial chamber. There are also metal inserts placed on the rubber sleeve, into which the rods with measuring cantilever are inserted.

The material requirement for this purpose is high temperature resistance – Fluorodur withstands temperatures up to 150 °C and still keeps its high quality. Another criterion is the chemical resistance of this material. Fluorodur resists to various chemicals such as operating fluids, halogenated hydrocarbons, acids, alcohols, bases, ozone, and water.  Fluorodur keeps its chemical resistance at high temperatures (up to 110 °C).

In addition to excellent technical properties, it is also necessary to emphasize the availability of this unique filament. “Fluorodur is for those who do not want to invest in new 3Dprinter or industrial machine upgrades but are still looking for a mid-range material that is easy to print,” says Fertek, and he adds, “3D printing has helped us produce a cheaper alternative. We would have to order a production of needed part externally, which is expensive in such a small number of units that we need.”

As for the printing itself, Mr. Fertek recommends using a perfectly straight printing pad (glass or carbon plate), a suitable glue (Dimafix Pen or PVA glue are recommended by Fillamentum) and set the printing speed of 20 mm/s. The temperature for successful printing with Fluorodur material should reach 250-270 °C, while the recommended substrate temperature is 100+ °C.

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