Toraypearl PA6 Polymer Helps Eliminate Postprocessing Steps

Toray Industries’ Toraypearl PA6 is a spherical polyamide 6 particle which the company says offers high strength, heat resistance and surface smoothness for powder bed fusion (PBF) 3D printers.

According to the compant, PBF 3D printers use metal or resin particles to create 3D printed parts with dimensional accuracy and efficiency. Metals are generally for applications requiring exceptional strength, while polymers are commonly used for industrial applications because of its lightness and affordable costs. However, polymer particles containing mainly used polyamide 12 and others are irregular shapes, which can create printed surfaces that require polishing and other postprocessing to use them in prototypes or end-use parts, thereby increasing costs and lead times.

To address that issue, Toray applied its polyamide particle technology to polyamide 6, which has a high melting point and good mechanical properties. This effort led the company to create Toraypearl PA6, which it says is the first product in the world with true spherical polyamide 6 particles. It is said the material is well suited for printed parts with smoother surfaces, greater strength and heat resistance under tougher conditions.

The performance characteristics of Toraypearl PA6 are said to enable 3D printing of complex and precise shapes as well as smooth surfaces, which can reduce the need for polishing and other postprocessing stages. The spherical particles also help to ensure the fluidity needed for 3D printing, even when blended with reinforcing glass fibers, for modeling that combines excellent rigidity with greater strength and heat resistance.

Aspect Inc., a Tokyo-based 3D printer company, has already obtained conformity certification for Toraypearl PA6 for its AM-E3 300HT and 550HT AM printers. This new product will augment Toraymill PPS, a polyphenylene sulfide resin-milled powder launched in 2017.