TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW

Materials

Each material comes with its own set of properties and should be chosen based on the specific requirements of the advanced manufacturing project. The selection of the right material is crucial for achieving the desired outcome regarding strength, flexibility, resolution, and functionality. A2O Manufacturing will provide impartial and highly experienced advice and recommendations for your specific project.

Carbon

Carbon has several unique properties within advanced manufacturing projects: 

Strength and Lightweight

Carbon-based materials are known for their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. They offer high strength and stiffness while remaining lightweight, which is particularly beneficial in aerospace, automotive, and sports equipment manufacturing industries. These materials enable the production of strong, durable, and yet lightweight products.

Versatility

Carbon can be manufactured in various forms, including sheets, fibres, fabrics, composites, and more. This versatility allows for creating a wide range of products to suit different applications. Carbon materials can be tailored to meet specific requirements, Whether for aerospace components, automotive parts, wind turbine blades, or recreational equipment.

Rigidity and Stability

Carbon materials exhibit excellent rigidity and dimensional stability, ensuring that the manufactured products maintain their shape and structural integrity even under extreme conditions. This makes carbon ideal for applications where stability is crucial, such as in precision instruments or high-performance machinery.

Corrosion Resistance

Carbon materials are highly resistant to corrosion, particularly when compared to metals. This property provides longevity and durability to the products manufactured using carbon. Industries like chemical processing and marine and offshore structures often rely on carbon materials to withstand harsh environments and corrosive substances.

Thermal Conductivity

Carbon possesses excellent thermal conductivity, making it suitable for heat transfer or dissipation applications. Heat sinks, electronic components, and thermal management systems often incorporate carbon-based materials to ensure efficient heat dissipation and temperature regulation.

Customisability

Carbon manufacturing processes allow for high customisation. The materials can be engineered to meet specific requirements, allowing for the creation of complex shapes and structures. This gives designers and engineers the flexibility to innovate and develop unique solutions.

Environmental Sustainability

When compared to certain traditional manufacturing materials like metals or plastics, carbon-based materials have a lower environmental impact. Carbon manufacturing processes often involve energy-efficient techniques, and the recyclability of carbon-based materials contributes to the goal of achieving sustainability in manufacturing.

Strong and Durable:

  • ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene): Known for its toughness and impact resistance, it is commonly used for functional prototypes.
  • Nylon (Polyamide): Versatile material known for its strength, flexibility, and durability.
  • PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol): Offers good resistance to moisture and chemicals, suitable for mechanical parts.
  • Polycarbonate (PC): Known for its strength and temperature resistance, ideal for engineering applications.
  • ULTEM: High-performance thermoplastic, excellent for applications needing extreme heat resistance.

Fine Detail:

  • Resins (Standard, Tough, Flexible, Castable): Used in SLA and DLP printing for models requiring high precision and smooth finish.
  • PLA (Polylactic Acid): Offers good detail and is popular for models and prototypes that don't require high strength.
  • TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane): Flexible material capable of fine details, used in FDM printers for parts requiring elasticity.

Soluble Materials (Supports):

  • PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol): Water-soluble material, often used as support structures for complex prints, easily dissolves in water.
  • HIPS (High-impact polystyrene): Similar to ABS, soluble in limonene, used as support material due to its solubility.

Heat Resistant:

  • PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone): High-performance thermoplastic with excellent heat resistance.
  • ASA (Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate): UV and weather-resistant material, better heat resistance than ABS.

Biocompatible:

  • Medical Grade Resins: Used in SLA printing for dental and medical applications.
  • PLA and PHA (Polyhydroxyalkanoates): Biodegradable plastics used in applications where biocompatibility is important.

Conductive:

  • Conductive PLA: Blended with conductive materials, used for printing electronic circuits.

Specialised:

  • Metal Filaments (Steel, Bronze, Copper): Used for prints that require a metal appearance and added weight.
  • Wood Filaments: Contain actual wood fibres used for objects with a wood-like finish.
  • Glow-in-the-dark Filaments: Contain phosphorescent materials used for objects that need to glow in the dark.

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Sci-Tech Daresbury
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WA4 4FS

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