THE 3D PRINTING SOLUTIONS COMPANY™
POLYJET BEST PRACTICE
OverviewShock and energy-absorbing components are often used as a safety measure to dissipate runaway energy in case of a component or system failure. Practical examples of shock absorbing components include bumpers, isolators, fasteners, mounts, spacers and pads.
Typical shock absorption applications include:
• Absorbing vibration and shock loads
• Accepting a large load deformation with practically no friction
• Prevention of noise generation
• Sealing (liquid or gas)
With PolyJet™ Connex™ 3D Printing systems it is possible to print parts that provide shock absorption. Designers plan varying areas of absorption in the CAD software and transform these into shells for STL file conversion. PolyJet Digital
SOFTWARE / PRODUCT / FINISHING / MATERIAL
Figure 1: Prototype parts printed with softer, flexible surfaces (black).
Using PolyJet For Shock Absorption
BUMPERS ISOLATORS
SPACERSFASTENERS
Materials with Shore levels matching the desired shock absorption criteria are used to produce the parts. The mechanical properties of the digital materials can simulate the end-product’s material requirements, rendering functional testing possible. Simulation of shock absorptions can take the form of:
• Protective covering – coating applied on rigid parts to provide protection
• Vibration damping – coating applied to provide damping of vibration
1. Recommendations• Save the design in separate STL files according to the different parts. This is
recommended for flexible areas, as well as for rigid parts. Later the parts can be printed in different color tones to visually separate areas of the model.
• Label each part that you evaluate with its relevant Shore value. The label will help you easily determine later which Shore value represents the suitable shock absorption score in your evaluation criteria tests.
• When printing a spherical surface that involves rigid and flexible materials, it is recommended to print the part so the rigid material will be underneath the flexible one (as shown in Figure 2). Otherwise distortion may occur in the lower part made of the flexible material.
Figure 2: VeroWhite™ and TangoBlack™ results with different printing orientations.
POLYJET BEST PRACTICE / 2
USING POLYJET FOR SHOCK ABSORPTION
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The information contained herein is for general reference purposes only and may not be suitable for your situation. As such, Stratasys does not warranty this information. For assistance concerning your specific application, consult a Stratasys application engineer. To ensure user safety, Stratasys recommends reading, understanding, and adhering to the safety and usage directions for all Stratasys and other manufacturers’ equipment and products. In addition, when using products like paints, solvents, epoxies, Stratasys recommends that users perform a product test on a sample part or a non-critical area of the final part to determine product suitability and prevent part damage.
USING POLYJET FOR SHOCK ABSORPTION
CONTACTFor questions about the information contained in this document, contact Stratasys at www.stratasys.com/contact-us/contact-stratasys.
