The Impact of Temperature on Select 3D Printing FDM Materials

Under the right conditions, 3D printed thermoplastics can substitute for metal, providing the benefits of lighter weight and greater design freedom. But like virtually every other material, polymer or metal, ambient temperature impacts its mechanical performance. Understanding that effect is important in choosing an appropriate 3D printing material for a given application.

Recently, Stratasys application engineers measured the effect of temperature on several high-performance FDM materials:

• Antero 800NA – PEKK-based (polyetherketoneketone) thermoplastic
• Antero 840CN03 – PEKK-based polymer with ESD capabilities
• FDM Nylon 12CF – nylon 12 polymer filled with 35% chopped carbon fiber by weight
• ULTEM™ 9085 resin – amorphous PEI (polyetherimide) polymer

Material coupons were printed for each material for tests at six temperature settings ranging from below-freezing to elevated temperatures. Each coupon was tested for the impact on the following properties:

• Tensile strength at break
• Tensile modulus
• Elongation at break

As expected, as temperature increased, mechanical properties decreased. The only notable exception was ULTEM™ 9085 resin – its elongation at break increased with a rise in temperature.

9085, 1010 and ULTEM™ are trademarks of SABIC, its affiliates or subsidiaries.