Fused Filament Fabrication of Bio-Based Polyether-Block-Amide Polymers (PEBAX) and Their Related Properties.

This paper describes the application of poly(ether-block-amide) polymers, so-called Pebax, in fused filament fabrication (FFF). Pebax is a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), a copolymer based on rigid polyamide and soft polyether blocks. By variation of the blocks, unique properties such as soft or rigid behaviour are tailored without additional additives and plasticisers.

Consolidation of Additive Manufactured Continuous Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polyamide 12 Composites and the Development of Process-Related Numerical Simulation Methods.

Additive manufacturing of high-performance polymers-such as PA12, PPS, PEEK, and PEKK-combined with industrial-grade carbon fibers with a high fiber volume ratio of up to 60% allows a weight reduction of over 40% compared to classic metal construction. Typically, these 3D-printed composites have a porosity of 10-30% depending on the material and the printing process parameters, which significantly reduces the quality of the part. Therefore, the additive manufacturing of load-bearing structural applications requires a proper consolidation after the printing process-the so-called 'additive fusion technology'-allowing close to zero void content in the consolidated part.