Why adopt PEEK 3D printing in your company? Experts give their advice!

The rapid evolution of additive manufacturing brings with it the development of multiple materials. In the last two years alone, material suppliers have doubled according to the latest Wohlers Report. Although material growth is still leading in metals, in second place are polymers, including high performance polymers (HPPs). Among which PEEK (polyetheretherketone) stands out for offering great properties for sectors such as aerospace, medical or automotive, which is why it is one of the most recognized in the 3D printing plastics industry. This material is highly resistant to heat, chemicals and wear, and can replace certain metals thanks to its strength to weight ratio. Despite its great advantages, some companies are still unaware of the real benefits of 3D printing with PEEK, and of the opportunities that are enabled within different production lines. To solve your doubts and learn more, we approached three experts in advanced additive manufacturing thermoplastics.

Charles Han, CEO of INTAMSYS, began his career in 3D printing with the founding of the company more than six years ago when a group of engineers decided to create high-speed, high-precision equipment. At his side is Thomas Collet, Director of 3D Printing Materials and Marketing within the Customized Polymer Materials Business Unit at LEHVOSS Group. This German-based global company is one of the leading manufacturers of polymer materials since 1983 and with 8 years of experience in the development of materials for the 3D printing industry. Finally, Mateusz Sidorowicz, Marketing Director at 3DGence has more than 6 years of experience working in additive manufacturing. 3DGence is a Polish company focused on advanced materials AM technology with interchangeable modules.

What are the main properties of PEEK 3D printing?

In order to adopt PEEK 3D printing in the industry, it is important to know the characteristics and specifications of the material. Like most advanced thermoplastics, PEEK is a demanding material to use in 3D printing. It is necessary to have an extruder that reaches temperatures of up to 400ºC, in addition it is recommended to use 3D machines with heated chambers so that the part achieves the desired mechanical properties. Dedicated materials, as developed by LEHVOSS Group, can be printed also in non-heated chambers. Annealing of printed parts may be applied. Though PEEK is mostly found in filament form for the Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) process, it is slowly becoming available in powder form for the SLS process.