PADT’s NOCTI Certified Additive Manufacturing Site

You can learn more about the program on our NOCTI Certification landing page.

To learn more about what is so exciting about this new system, read our press release at one of these links:

• Official Press Release, HTML
• Official Press Release, PDF
• PADT’s Website Press Release

If you would like to talk to someone about the program, please contact us at info@padtinc.com or give us a call at 480.813.4884

In this post, we’ll explore two of our in-house 3D printing technologies, FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) and P3 DLP (Programmable PhotoPolymerization), and compare our high-temperature material options available for each. You’ll get an overview of the strengths, limitations, and ideal applications for each material, helping you choose the right technology for your project.

FDM Overview

FDM, which most people are familiar with, builds parts by melting thermoplastics layer by layer. FDM also offers a broad range of high-temperature material options, making it very popular in the aerospace, automotive, and electronics industries.

Here’s a closer look at some of the high-temperature FDM materials we offer:

PLA (Polylactic Acid) is a biodegradable plastic and very popular in FDM printing due to its low cost and availability, especially in this economy. However, PLA has a lower heat resistance compared to the other materials, with a heat deflection (HDT) of 124°F (51°C). Therefore, it’s best suited for prototypes, low-stress applications, and any projects where thermal performance isn’t life or death.

ABS-M30 is a little more versatile than PLA, offering higher impact resistance and better durability. With an HDT of 204°F (96°C) and a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 226°F (108°C), ABS-M30 is often used for functional prototypes, manufacturing tools, and end-use parts in automotive and consumer products where thermal performance and mechanical strength are required. We also offer ABS in several colors: Natural, White, Black, Blue, Red, and Gray.

Ultem 9085 and Ultem 1010 are known for their high strength, excellent chemical resistance, and flame retardancy (UL94-V0 rated), making Ultem ideal for aerospace and automotive applications, where parts must meet strict safety and performance standards. When choosing between the two, consider:

• Ultem 9085 offers high strength and toughness, with an HDT of 307°F (153°C), making it ideal for parts that need to handle heavy mechanical loads and higher temperatures.
• Ultem 1010 offers a higher HDT of 415°F (213°C), as well as superior chemical resistance. This makes it an excellent choice for industrial-grade applications.

Antero, also known as Polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) polymers, is known for its superior thermal and mechanical performance as well as Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) resistance for CN03. When choosing between these two, consider:

• Antero 800NA, the base material in the PEKK family, has an HDT of 297°F (147°C), providing excellent thermal properties as well as mechanical. This makes it an ideal choice for both industrial and aerospace applications – check out this article from Stratasys on Boeing certifying 800NA for aerospace parts!
• Antero 840CN03 adds onto this with an added 3% carbon nanotubes by weight, enhancing its ESD properties. It also boasts a higher HDT of 330°F (166°C) and improved electrical conductivity, making it perfect for applications in electronics, aerospace, and defense where both thermal stability and ESD resistance are necessary.

P3 DLP Overview:

P3 uses UV-curable resins, an evolution of Digital Light Processing 3D printing. Light, temperature, pull forces, and pneumatics are tightly controlled during the printing process, resulting in injection-molded-like surfaces with amazing dimensional accuracy. It’s well suited for producing parts with fine details and tight tolerances.

Below is a comparison of our high-temperature P3 materials offered at PADT:

BASF RG3280 is designed for applications that require both high heat resistance and mechanical strength. With an HDT of 324°F (162°C) and an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 85 MPa, it’s a good choice for parts that need to withstand high mechanical loads and elevated temperatures. However, its low elongation at break (0.7%) means it is better suited for rigid, load-bearing applications rather than those requiring flexibility. Thus, making it ideal for functional prototypes and end-use parts in industries like automotive.

BASF 9400B FR is a flame retardant material specifically designed for applications requiring both heat resistance and compliance with fire safety regulations. With an HDT of 305°F (152°C), it performs well in high-temperature environments. Although it doesn’t have the same mechanical strength as BASF RG3280, its UL94-V0 flammability rating makes it ideal for industries such as aerospace and transportation. Also, to note, its elongation at break of 4% offers more flexibility than some of the other high-temperature materials.

P3 Deflect 120 has an HDT of 200°F (93°C) and a tensile strength of 100 MPa, offering a good mix of strength and heat resistance. It’s a good option for functional parts that require higher mechanical performance while also operating in higher-heat temps. It’s 4% elongation at break also provides some flexibility, which can be useful in parts subject to mechanical stresses. This makes it a good choice for end-use applications in electronics housings and industrial tooling.

Loctite 3955 FST is an excellent material for high-heat and flame-resistant applications, with an HDT of 417°F (214°C)—the highest among the P3 materials. Its combination of high thermal resistance and low smoke and toxicity emissions, including a fire safety rating of UL94-V0 makes it an excellent choice for parts used in the aerospace, transportation, and rail industries. With an elongation at break of 2.1%, it’s more rigid than some of the other P3 materials, making it ideal for applications where parts must maintain their shape and integrity under both high temperature and flammability requirements.

Mechnano CLiteB uses carbon nanotube (CNT) technology to enhance mechanical performance and electrical conductivity. Although it doesn’t have specific heat deflection data available, it features a strength of 65 MPa and a 3.2% elongation at break, providing a balance of rigidity and flexibility. Since it’s also suitable for electrostatic discharge (ESD) applications, protecting sensitive electronic components, it’s great for electronics, aerospace, and industrial applications.

FDM VS P3

Now that we’ve discussed both separately when choosing between FDM and P3, consider these two factors:

1. Surface Quality and Detail
   • If your project requires high-resolution details and a smooth surface finish, P3 DLP is the better choice. P3 offers superior precision, producing parts with fine features and injection-molded-like quality with minimal post-processing. This makes it ideal for aesthetically pleasing prototypes, class I medical devices, and electronics housings, where accuracy is key.
   • In contrast, FDM typically results in a more textured finish due to its layer-by-layer process. While it offers excellent strength and durability, its lower resolution means finer details may not be as sharp. However, FDM is a great option for functional prototypes where surface smoothness is less important, but strength is essential.
2. Build Size and Quantity:
   • For larger parts or high-volume production, FDM is often the better option. With a build size of up to 36” x 24” x 36”, it’s ideal for automotive components, tooling, and industrial prototypes. FDM is also more cost-effective for large-scale projects, especially with our standard materials like PLA or ABS-M30.
   • On the other hand, P3 DLP excels at producing smaller, highly detailed parts. Its more limited build size up to 7.5” x 4.25” x 14.5” is perfect for smaller batch runs in industries like aerospace, medical, or electronics, where precision and part quality are critical.

What Now?

Ultimately, the choice between FDM and P3 DLP depends on the specific requirements of your project, so if you’re ready to get a quote now, you can submit your files on our site 3D Printing Factory. Or if you’re still unsure which technology/material to choose, please reach out to our team at 3dprint@padtinc.com for expert guidance. We’ll help evaluate your project’s needs and recommend the best material to ensure success.

And stay tuned for more material comparisons!

The Importance of Ultem 9085

Ultem 9085 has set a standard for materials used in demanding environments. Its high strength-to-weight ratio allows for the creation of components that are both lightweight and durable—an essential quality in industries where every ounce matters. Additionally, Ultem 9085’s resistance to high temperatures ensures that parts maintain their integrity even under extreme conditions.

The material’s FST certification is a key factor in its widespread use. Meeting rigorous safety standards for flame resistance, smoke emission, and toxicity is critical for applications like aircraft interiors and mass transit systems. Ultem 9085 not only meets these standards but exceeds them, providing a reliable solution for safety-conscious engineers.

A New Palette of Possibilities

Previously available in its natural amber color and black, Ultem 9085 now comes in six new colors. This expansion is more than just a visual upgrade; it represents a significant enhancement in the material’s versatility. These new color options offer greater creative freedom and practical benefits, such as improved component differentiation and compliance with industry-specific color standards.

The ability to incorporate color into parts adds both aesthetic appeal and functional advantages. For example, in complex systems, different colors can be used to distinguish between components, making assembly, maintenance, and troubleshooting more efficient.

Broadening Applications and Benefits

The introduction of new color options for Ultem 9085 opens up a wide range of possibilities across various industries. In aerospace, for instance, color differentiation can play a crucial role in the assembly process, ensuring that each component is accurately identified and installed. In the automotive industry, interior parts can now combine high performance with visual appeal, without compromising on material quality.

In the medical field, where color-coding is often essential for safety and usability, these new options provide valuable tools for engineers. Importantly, the addition of new colors does not alter the material’s core properties; instead, it enhances its applicability, offering new solutions for complex design challenges.

Conclusion

Ultem 9085 has long been a material of choice for engineers facing demanding requirements, and with the addition of these new colors, its range of applications has expanded even further. Whether the focus is on performance, safety, or aesthetics, these new options provide engineers with the flexibility to meet project requirements with greater precision and creativity.

The expansion of Ultem 9085’s color options reaffirms its position as a leading material for high-performance applications, offering new ways to innovate and achieve success in engineering design.

Why Polypropylene Matters

Polypropylene is a workhorse material, renowned for its chemical resistance, low density, and inherent flexibility. It’s a staple in everything from automotive parts to food containers, prized for its versatility and durability. However, leveraging PP in additive manufacturing—especially for industrial-grade applications—has long been a challenge.

With the H350’s SAF technology, Stratasys has cracked the code, enabling precise, consistent PP printing. The result? Durable, functional parts ready to meet the demands of real-world applications. To see this material in action, don’t miss our two featured videos (below): an extreme chainsaw test showcasing SAF PP’s unmatched strength and versatility, and a pressure test demonstrating the impressive tightness and durability of SAF PP parts.

The Advantage of SAF Polypropylene Technology

SAF technology, the driving force behind the H350, is designed for production-level throughput with pinpoint accuracy. When paired with PP, the results are transformative:

• Chemical Resistance: PP’s ability to withstand harsh chemicals makes it a go-to for parts that need to endure exposure to acids, bases, and solvents—a must for the automotive and chemical industries.
• Low Density: PP’s lightweight nature doesn’t compromise strength or durability, making it ideal for applications where weight reduction is key, such as in aerospace.
• Flexibility and Durability: Unlike many 3D printing materials, PP retains its flexibility without becoming brittle. This is a game-changer for producing living hinges, clips, and other components that need both strength and flexibility.
• Cost-Effective Production: PP’s cost-effectiveness, combined with the efficiency of the H350, offers a practical solution for high-volume production, delivering substantial savings.

Impact Across Industries

The addition of PP to the H350’s material portfolio is a significant leap forward for various sectors. In automotive, the ability to quickly and affordably produce lightweight, chemically resistant parts is set to streamline prototyping and accelerate time-to-market. Consumer goods manufacturers will benefit from the durability and flexibility of PP, enabling them to create more resilient products, from household items to packaging.

See the Proof:

The Road Ahead

Stratasys’s introduction of SAF Polypropylene for the H350 isn’t just a material update—it’s a step forward in the evolution of additive manufacturing. By combining the versatility of PP with the precision of SAF technology, Stratasys is empowering manufacturers to explore new possibilities and bring innovative products to market faster than ever. As the industry advances, materials like SAF Polypropylene will play a critical role in expanding the scope of what can be achieved with additive manufacturing. With the H350, Stratasys is leading the charge, shaping a future where manufacturing is lighter, stronger, and more adaptable.

View the material data sheet for SAF Polypropylene below or download the extended material data sheet.

If you are interested in learning more about Stratasys’s new SAF Polypropylene offering or any aspect of the SAF technology, please reach out to PADT, and one of our skilled engineers will be happy to answer your questions. Our team has been involved in additive manufacturing for 30 years now, and we have a unique understanding of the applications of this technology. As an early tester of the SAF systems, few know the ins and outs of this exciting machine like PADT does. We are here to help with SAF Polypropylene technology, any other materials, or additive manufacturing in general.

But this is not our first delivery of game changing technology, so it ended up in its new home in our 3D Printing demo room.

The Stratasys technicians will be here in a week or so to do the installation, and we can start showing customers why we are so excited about this machine and why they should add one to their facility.

To learn more about what is so exciting about this new system, read our press release at one of these links:

• Official Press Release, HTML
• Official Press Release, PDF
• PADT’s Website Press Release

If you are interested in learning more about why we strongly recommend that you upgrade to a Stratasys F3300, please contact us, and our engineers will be happy to share our thoughts.

You can listen in at the following links:

• 3DPrint.com
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify

Here is the description from the podcast:

David Dietrich’s journey in 3D printing spans from materials engineering roles at Boeing and ORNL to his position as an engineering fellow at Honeywell, showcasing his extensive experience in metals and polymer manufacturing. Currently, David is part of PADT, a company specializing in the manufacturing and design of 3D printed medical devices, space components, and more. In this episode of the 3DPOD, Dietrich shares his insights into the evolution of 3D printing over the years, offering valuable lessons from his broad experience in the field.

This interview is a great example of the expertise that PADT brings to our customers. When you work with PADT for your Stratasys or EOS products needs or to have your additive manufacturing done by PADT, you get Dave and others like him on your team. If you have any questions or needs around 3D Printing, Simulation, or Product Development, contact us today and talk to our engineers like Dave.

By enabling the fast, flexible production of medical jigs, surgical aids, and lifelike anatomical models with un-matched biomechanical accuracy, end-to-end medical 3D Printing solutions elevate and improve patient care.

Join PADT’s Senior Application Engineer Pam Waterman, along with Catherine Wallace and Evan Hochstein from Stratasys, for a look at the advantages of using additive technology when developing medical devices and surgical models.

This application has proven benefits for the following: 

• Research & Development
• Infrastructure​​​​​​
• Device Manufacturing
• And much more

View the Recording

If this is your first time registering for one of our Bright Talk webinars, simply click the link and fill out the attached form. We promise that the information you provide will only be shared with those promoting the event (PADT).

You will only have to do this once! For all future webinars, you can simply click the link, add the reminder to your calendar and you’re good to go!

STEM is awesome, but it’s the human imagination in between the S, T, E, and M that shapes the collective impact of these four letters, what they represent, and how they are applied. If you told a NASA engineer in the early 1960s that flight-ready engine parts could be made within weeks by feeding metal dust and some kind of binary code into a metal box that’s plugged into the wall, they would probably tell you that you belong in Hollywood…Thanks to the many with the ability and willingness to dream and invent, look at where we are today in metal 3D printing.

RAD Imagination of STEM

Through the same lens, we can see that the vibrant field of metal 3D printing has seen not only steady advancements in existing technologies getting better and more capable but there have also been (and probably there will almost always be) some new technologies being attempted and developed. Take for example, the Resonance Assisted Deposition (RAD) method, which utilizes solid metal wire feedstock and tiny little mechanical vibrations to join small sections of the wire continuously and form solid objects track-and-track and layer-by-layer. Some unique features of this technique are that there is no melting or excessive heating, the printing process takes place in ambient conditions without the need for vacuum or inert gas, simple system mechanics and workflow. Think about the overall process flow and machine mechanics of the FDM (FFF) technology, a 3D printer based on the RAD technology is practically the same, but with a different process physics, it now produces solid metal parts!

Now without getting geeky and looking into the process physics a little bit, it may be a little hard to see why this technique is nothing short of a poster child of STEM plus imagination! 

Shaping and Joining in Metal 3D Printing

Let’s start by looking at manufacturing technologies in general. Really all that the various manufacturing technologies do is “change materials into the right shape and property”, and in that process, it turns raw materials into a product and adds value to it (beyond just the value of the material itself). Now this “shaping” is where many different methods can be utilized. For example, in a casting process, you heat and melt raw materials like aluminum and pour it into a prefabricated mold cavity. The liquid aluminum flows and conforms to the shape of the cavity. Once the aluminum cools and solidifies you break the mold, and voilà an aluminum part has been manufactured using casting. Similarly, you can cut, form, or even add to have the material take on a new shape (for example you “mill” a rectangular block of aluminum feedstock into an “L” shaped angle bracket, or “bend” a flat sheet of steel into a box, etc.) that meets the requirements for its function.  

Another important piece that is critical to manufacturing is joining, be it to form a permanent or temporary joint. In the “L” shaped bracket example above, you could choose to weld, or permanently join two flat pieces of aluminum together to form the “L” shape, instead of machining it from a block. There are many ways to join metals, including controlled melting and re-solidification, or it can be without melting. This can be done by using optical, mechanical, or even mechanical forms of energy. For example, friction-stirred welding allows you to join two metal rods (end-to-end) by pressing them tightly together while one is spinning at a high speed. This causes large amounts of friction, heating the interface to be joined. When the two sides of metal across the interface get hot enough, the fundamental process of “diffusion” happens to cause an exchange of matter (or metal atoms) from both sides, and the joining is accomplished. At this point, the “interface” no longer exists and what used to be materials on the two sides of the “interface” are now a continuous phase, in most cases chemically and metallurgically. All of this happens without the base metals actually melting.

In metal 3D printing, both shaping and joining are required. A lot of times simultaneously while each unit volume of the overall 3D object is formed, whether the unit is a voxel, a line, or a whole layer. For example, in Laser Powder Bed Fusion, when the laser beam strikes the bed of metal powder, it heats and melts the powder which forms a melt pool of metal, which once solidified, forms the unit volume of an overall object. So in this process, the shaping (from spherical particles to the typically little cone-shaped solid) and joining (joining the discrete powder particle and joining the cone-shaped solids into a track as the laser scans, and tracks into layers as the laser rasters) happens, for all practical purposes, at the same time.  

Feedstock in Metal 3D Printing

Onto the STEM plus imagination idea…Currently, in almost all metal 3D printing processes, the shaping and joining of feedstock during the process is accomplished (or assisted) by heating the feedstock. Whether the heat is caused by hitting it with a laser beam, electron beam, or running an electrical current to cause Joule heating, spark, or plasma, it all has to do with the fundamental fact that heating the material changes its properties in a way that favors shaping and joining. Actually, from an even broader point of view, this very way of using heat is not only something that’s been practiced since the dawn of human’s ability to make things thousands of years ago, but it is also the scientific principle that sits at the core of numerous industrialized manufacturing processes.

The question is though, is “heating” really the only way to perform or assist shaping and joining? Well, the answer is an emphatic “no”.

There is existing scientific knowledge that tells us the effect of heating material can be obtained through other means without ever heating the material. The application of this scientific knowledge in the development of engineering and technology is where the imagination can really shine and create an invention. Case in point, the RAD technique that we briefly introduced earlier harnesses the scientific principle of how metal atoms (and the “lattice defects” where they are missing in the material) move around when mechanical vibrations are propagating through it, sharing strong similarities to how they move when metal is being heated. The former has a more structured collective movement, while the latter tends to be a bit random. As long as you can find a way to introduce and control these structured movements in the atoms and lattice defects, it can be used to allow/assist shaping and joining. This really is what’s at the heart of RAD. It uses tiny vibrations (we are talking structured vibrations at the surface at around 1-micrometer amplitude, but at relatively high frequencies in the tens of thousands of Hertz range) to soften, shape, and joint small sections of a solid metal wire into a 3D object. As far as how exactly the small structured collective vibrations cause the shaping and joining, it’s a topic for another day, but know that it’s proven to work. Of course, the “secret sauce” lies in exactly how you apply and control the tiny vibrations, and knowing what “knobs” you can turn to make it just right. But this is also a topic for another day…for now.

PADT Inc. is a globally recognized provider of Numerical Simulation, Product Development, and 3D Printing 3D Scanning products and services. For more information, please contact us at 3dprint@padtinc.com and connect with us on Instagram for more content!

Title Images from EOS

Well, 11 years later, we are finally replacing it with a new, modern site: store.padtinc.com.

It is still the same material, still the same friendly and knowledgeable PADT staff processing the orders and offering support, and still the same flexible options for shipping and payment. It just looks a lot better and brings some modern features to the table, including:

• Save favorite products
• Shopping lists
• Review the status of current orders
• Enhanced search and filtering
• Order history

We will be running both sites in parallel to give customers some time to set up accounts in the new portal.

You can learn more by reading the press release:

• On PADT’s Website
• As a PDF on PRLOG.org
• As HTML on PRLOG.org

If you are trying to decide who is your best option for the world’s leading 3D Printing hardware from Stratasys, contact PADT, and we would love to show you all the advantages of purchasing, supporting, and material fulfillment with PADT.

It’s time to think differently about 3D printing in manufacturing. In the era of Industry 4.0, manufacturing with additive opens new doors. Shave days off production cycles. Remove complexity from final assembly. Produce lightweight, high-strength structures. Create hyper-realistic prototypes. Be more competitive than ever before.

Join PADT’s Senior Application Engineer and additive expert, Pam Waterman, for a live presentation covering the fundamental value propositions of 3D printing for manufacturing, challenges facing those who wish to implement it, and how Stratasys helps users prepare for recent advancements on the factory floor, and elsewhere in today’s manufacturing world.

This presentation will cover the following: 

• Defining Factory 4.0
• Value Propositions for 3D Printing​​​​​​
• Challenges to Adoption
• How Stratasys & PADT are Preparing
• And much more

​​​​View the Recording

If this is your first time registering for one of our Bright Talk webinars, simply click the link and fill out the attached form. We promise that the information you provide will only be shared with those promoting the event (PADT).

You will only have to do this once! For all future webinars, you can simply click the link, add the reminder to your calendar and you’re good to go!