(gentle music)
- Hey there, my name is Paree, and I'm part of the team
that created Formlabs' new polyurethane resins:
PU Rigid 650 and PU Rigid 1000.
We're excited about bringing polyurethane materials
to our SLA 3D printers to create our most tough, durable,
and long-lasting parts yet.
PU Rigid 650 creates pliable, impact-resistant parts
that maintain true form long-term.
PU Rigid 1000 creates stiff, sturdy, and unyielding parts
ready to handle high impacts
and harsh environments repeatedly.
Today, I'll be walking you through
how to print PU Rigid 650 on a Form 3+ printer.
However, you can print both PU Rigid resins on a Form 3,
a Form 3B, and a Form 2 printer as well.
These 3D-printable polyurethanes are so game-changing
because they help you break free of the limitations
of traditional polyurethane methods
with newfound design freedom, reduced production costs,
and improved workflow efficiencies.
If you're already familiar with SLA 3D printing,
you'll see that the workflow is very similar.
However, there's a few extra steps
that require additional third-party supplies,
including a dry cabinet, PGDA solvent,
and an Anova humidity chamber.
When you first open up a PU Rigid resin shipment,
you'll find three items inside:
The resin inside a sealed aluminum bottle,
an empty printing cartridge,
and a Quick Start Guide with instructions on how to print.
The resin's shelf life in an unopened aluminum bottle
is 12 months, and about one month after opening the bottle.
Because these resins are sensitive to moisture,
we recommend placing your printer in a dry cabinet
while printing with them.
Once placed inside,
make sure that the printer is perfectly level.
Open your file in PreForm
and orient the part according to the software's guidelines.
Print all parts on supports
to make removal from the build platform easier.
Then select your printer, material, layer thickness,
and click, "Automatic Filling."
Now your design is ready to send from PreForm
to your printer.
After thoroughly shaking the PU Rigid resin
in the aluminum bottle,
this is where the typical workflow changes slightly.
First, unscrew the vent cap on the cartridge.
Then use a funnel to pour the resin from the aluminum bottle
into the cartridge.
Make sure you screw the vent cap back on
to prevent the resin from spilling.
PU resin can live inside the print cartridge
from seven days to four weeks
depending on your ambient humidity and temperature.
Before you start your print, make sure the build platform,
resin cartridge, and resin tank are all inserted properly.
Once you press Print, you can leave the printer
to complete the job and focus on other work.
After your polyurethane print is finished,
there are two simple post-processing steps
that deviate from the usual workflow:
Rinsing your part in PGDA,
or Propylene Glycol Diacetate,
and post-curing in an Anova humidity chamber.
To rinse your part, insert the build platform
directly into the Form Wash filled with PGDA.
Set the rinse timer to two minutes
for a thorough, automated wash.
After the rinse is finished,
you can use a compressed air gun
to blow the excess solvent off the parts.
Check and make sure the parts are clean.
If not, rinse and repeat as needed
to ensure parts are free from excess resin.
Once your parts are clean,
carefully remove them from the build platform.
Optionally, you can dip the parts in n-butyl solvent
for 15 seconds to speed up the evaporation
of the PGDA solvent.
Then, let the parts sit in ambient conditions
to dry completely.
This may take up to 24 hours.
For most parts, we recommend taking extra care
to remove the supports before post-curing.
This is especially important when working with PU Rigid 650.
Next, transfer the part to a humidity cure chamber
to post-cure and ensure that the light
inside the oven stays off during the cure process.
Post curing times may vary
depending on the thickness of your part.
For more information,
please refer to our support articles on PU Rigid resins.
Once curing is complete,
you'll find your 3D-printed polyurethane parts are tough,
durable, and ready to be put to the test.
Thanks for joining me today to learn about how to print
our exciting new PU Rigid resins.
If you want to print your own high-quality
polyurethane parts,
contact us at formlabs.com/sales to get started.