Essentium Launches PEKK High-Performance Material
RAPID 2021: PEKK shares most of the performance attributes of PEEK, but has a lower crystallization rate and is less affected by the cooling process once the part is 3D printed, thereby minimizing warping.
Essentium’s PEKK is said to ensure manufacturers can quickly produce parts that meet their industry’s reliability, repeatability and performance standards.
Essentium’s PEKK, made with an Arkema 6002 Kepstan resin, is an ultra-polymer offering high heat and chemical resistance as well as mechanical strength to meet the performance requirements of aerospace and industrial applications.
The company says PEKK shares most of the performance attributes of PEEK, but has a lower crystallization rate and can therefore be treated as an amorphous polymer. This means it is less affected by the cooling process once the part is 3D printed, thereby minimizing warping. PEKK is said to maintain the flame smoke toxicity ratings for Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) compliance, while offering improved resistance to chemical attack compared to PEI materials. PEKK has an extrusion temperature between 340 and 400°C.
The material extends Essentium’s open additive manufacturing (AM) ecosystem by enabling manufacturers to scale and meet the requirements of their specific applications with tested and certified materials of their choice. Essentium’s PEKK is said to ensure manufacturers can quickly produce parts that meet their industry’s reliability, repeatability and performance standards.
The material is well-suited for industries that want AM to give them speed to parts without sacrificing quality, enabling the rapid production of complex parts for harsh and extreme environments on-demand, the company says.
Related Content
-
3D Printing with Plastic Pellets – What You Need to Know
A few 3D printers today are capable of working directly with resin pellets for feedstock. That brings extreme flexibility in material options, but also requires greater knowledge of how to best process any given resin. Here’s how FGF machine maker JuggerBot 3D addresses both the printing technology and the process know-how.
-
Understanding PEKK and PEEK for 3D Printing: The Cool Parts Show Bonus
Both materials offer properties desirable for medical implants, among other applications. In this bonus episode, hear more from Oxford Performance Materials and Curiteva about how these companies are applying PEKK and PEEK, respectively.
-
ActivArmor Casts and Splints Are Shifting to Point-of-Care 3D Printing
ActivArmor offers individualized, 3D printed casts and splints for various diagnoses. The company is in the process of shifting to point-of-care printing and aims to promote positive healing outcomes and improved hygienics with customized support devices.
