support material
for 3d printing
Why is a support material necessary when 3D printing silicone?
LSR 3D printing of silicones is an additive manufacturing process where small amounts of a material are added to create a larger object. The added amounts of silicone must stay in place. But sometimes they can’t.
The same thing happens when building a bridge. The stones in the middle have no base. If they were simply placed in the air, they would fall down.
A scaffold is needed to hold them in place until the mortar has hardened or the last, top stone has been set. When this is done and the “object” is finished, the scaffolding can be removed.
The same applies to 3D printing. The framework is created at the same time as the workpiece. Here is an example with plastic. While the Y does not need any support material during construction, the horizontal beams of the H and the T would hang down without a support structure. After printing, the support structures are broken off and removed.
Powder-based 3D printers also need support structures to maintain the shape during the printing process. The support material is mechanically removed after the print job is finished, which requires a lot of time and post-processing.
3D printers that use UV-curable resins also need support structures to maintain the shape until the end of the printing process.
Here, too, the support material is removed manually and leaves a rough surface.
When 3D printing silicone, a different material is used to create the support structures.
This picture shows the printing of a black LSR silicone together with a transparent support material. The support material is water soluble.
When the print job is finished and the silicone is cured, the support material can be rinsed with water. Since it has not bonded with the workpiece, it does not have to be cut away and does not leave any corresponding traces on the boundary layer.
To be able to print support material, a 3D printer with at least 2 print heads is required. One print head extrudes the silicone, a second one the support material. With only one print head, only one material can be printed in the same print job. The Fluid MT 3D printer from Deltatower can print with up to 6 print heads simultaneously. In addition to a support material, up to 4 other materials can be used in the same print job.
This means that workpieces can be printed with different silicones or also with plastic.
Frequently asked questions
UV adhesive, epoxy resins, acrylates, silicones, greases, inks, waxes, ceramics, biotechnical suspensions. Each paste with a dynamic viscosity of up to around 600,000 mpas
Dosing pumps are available for one and two-component printing materials. you can control up to 6 tools
In the Z axis 0.01 mm, 0.03 mm in X and Y axis
We are used to finding customer-specific solutions.
Inquire without obligation for further printing materials or post processing methods.
When printing with just one printhead, you quickly reach geometric limits. With a second printhead, support material can be used to print any geometry.
Multiple printheads can also be used for multi-material printing. E.g. two or more silicones with different Shore hardness or a combination of chemically completely different materials, e.g. Exchangeable cassette systems with frames on epoxy resin and silicone membranes.