igus develops extremely strong filament for 3D printing

Since 2020, plastics specialist igus has been providing two-component 3D printing (2K), which makes it easy to combine different material properties. This is also the idea behind the new, fibre-reinforced igumid P190 filament, which was specifically developed as a material partner for the tribofilament iglidur i190. Thanks to the solid lubricants incorporated in the material, iglidur i190 is characterised by its high wear resistance and excellent service life. Its abrasion resistance is up to 50 times better than that of regular 3D printing filaments.

The new, fibre-reinforced igumid P190, on the other hand, offers twice as high strength and five times higher rigidity than the iglidur material. “Using multi-material printing, these two filaments can be combined in a single production step to form a high-strength component that is also friction-optimised,” explains Tom Krause, Head of Additive Manufacturing at igus. The 2K printers use the “Fused Deposition Modelling” (FDM) process. Both plastics are melted each in their own pressure nozzle and built up in layers to form a workpiece. “Together, both filaments have a very good material bonding. This makes them ideal for multi-material printing,” says Tom Krause. The 2K components are used, for example, in grippers, so that they have a bend-resistant body and coupled with flexible gripping surfaces for a secure grip.

Strong, lightweight, proven
The high strength of the material also ensures lower material requirements. The filament has a low density of 1.25g/cm³. As a result, igumid P190 can also be used for lightweight construction. In addition, additive manufacturing usually only takes a few hours from printing up to functional individual parts. Lightweight, high strength, quick availability and flexible implementation in printing also make igumid P190 interesting for the production of custom-fit special mounting brackets for energy chains.

The individual solutions have the great advantage, for example, that energy chains can be installed in a more space-saving manner. In addition, the filament has material properties similar to those of the energy chains made by injection moulding and, thanks to its strength, can also withstand tensile and bending loads. Due to its high stability and rigidity, igumid P190 is also suitable for the production of high-strength structural components.

Tests according to DIN EN ISO 178 in igus’s own 3,800sqm laboratory have shown that, thanks to its fibre reinforcement, the filament has an enormous flexural strength of up to 237MPa and a flexural modulus of 11.5GPa (printed flat, printed lines aligned according to optimum strength, filling direction optimised).