By Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMF)
KNMFi Laboratory for Micro- and Nanostructuring 3D Printing (3DP) provides a wide range of possibilities for the realization of freeform 3D structures. Recent develop-ments allow for a wide range of materials to be processed, from pure polymers to polymer-based highly filled composites for creating functionality enhanced 3D parts. In the FFF process, the material of choice is provided as a filament that is melted in a hot chamber, extruded through a nozzle and selectively deposited on the building platform layer by layer. In inkjet printing, on-demand small and uniform droplets of different UV curable ink are precisely ejected onto a wide range of substrates to produce multi-material functional components with intricate features of micro-scale resolution. Equipment FFF-Printers - Leapfrog Xeed - Leapfrog Bolt - zMorph 2.0 SX - Builder Extreme 2000 - Prusa MK3S with MMU2s Inkjet Printers - Notion System n.jet 3D functional/high laydown - Notion Systems n.jet 3D 3D Scanning - Einscan Pro (Accuracy up to 0.05 mm) Filament fabrication - Filafab Extruder & Winding Key Features - FFF-Resolution: 50 µm (z-axis), 200 µm (x/y-axis) - Inkjet-Resolution: 10 µm (z-axis) - FFF: Printhead temperature up to 250 °C - FFF: Graded structures possible (see Samples) - Multi-Material prints for both FFF and Inkjet possible Materials - ABS, PLA, PVA, Nylon - Filled materials (optical effects, magnetic, electrically conductive) - Custom materials - Inkjet: Depending on material availability Data - STL format - Various CAD files can be exported to STL format - Wall thicknesses should be multiples of x/y resolution for better accuracy - Use correct units during designing the structures - Avoid duplexes (use snaps) - Overhangs with degrees >30° need support - Models must be solid bodies, not surfaces. No open faces, models must be watertight - In case of periodic structures a single unit cell is sufficient Limitations/constraints - Depending on object size & geometry: long build time - Currently no materials with melting temperature >250 °C possible
