Is 3D Printing with Silicone possible?
July 15, 2020
One of the greatest breakthroughs in the field of 3D printing materials in recent years was the launch of a process that makes 3D printing
Copyright 2021 Beamler
Menu
Silicone is an elastic material with outstanding mechanical, chemical and thermal properties. A higher degree of customisation and precision is achievable with 3D printing in silicone in comparison to injection molding.
Medical grade silicone • Biocompatible • Food Safe
Silicone is a biocompatible elastomeric polymer with excellent mechanical and chemical properties. The ability of 3D printing industrial parts in real silicone is one of the major technological breakthroughs in the additive manufacturing world of the last 5 years. Until recent years, the alternative was to use either injection molding or other materials that attempted to mimic the rubber-like properties of silicone.
Silicone is an extremely versatile material with unique properties that can be used for many high-performance applications due to its resistance to extreme environments. For instance, 3D printing in Silicone enables the creation of end-parts with a high degree of flexibility and precision that can be sterilized. It can withstand high extremes, it offers good electrical resistance and the possibility of printing parts with different levels of elasticity.
In comparison to injection molding, 3D printing offers a higher degree of customization and enables the production of parts that are higher in complexity. For those reasons, silicone printing is very popular in the automotive and medical industries.
Strengths
✦ Biocompatible, versatile and elastic material
✦ Medical grade silicone
✦ High performance material with outstanding mechanical and chemical properties
✦ Great accuracy and precision
✦ Highly complex and customised parts in comparison to injection molded silicone
✦ No need for molds
Weaknesses
✧ Higher cost than injection molding
✧ Not recyclable
+ Dental prothesis & hearing aids
+ Custom sealings
+ Orthopedic shoes insoles
Max. Bed Size (mm)
300x445x200 mm
Max. Bed Size (in)
11.9×17.5×7.9 in
Layer Height
100 μm
Lead Time
10 days
Accuracy
★★☆☆☆
Smoothness
★★☆☆☆
Flexibility
★★★★★
Rigidity
★☆☆☆☆
Biocompatible
Yes
Food Safe
Yes
Watertight
Yes
Recyclable
No
Density
1.08 g/cm3
Young Modulus
0.1 MPa
Yield Strength
Not tested
UTS
1.4 Mpa
Elongation at Break
700%
Hardness
Shore A0, A10, A20, A30, A40, A50, A60
* These values are meant to give a general idea of the material. Actual values may vary according to chosen material brand, 3D print service and build condition. Please refer to the Beamler online quoting platform for actual technical data of each material brand.
One of the greatest breakthroughs in the field of 3D printing materials in recent years was the launch of a process that makes 3D printing
High performance materials for 3D printing are materials that have unique mechanical properties that make them ideal for special end-use applications of high quality. Polymers
All uploaded files are secure and confidential.
Beamler: Online 3D Printing Service • Global network • ISO 9001 partners • Specialized in 3D printing silicone, tungsten, tungsten carbide, copper, composites and technical ceramics.
Customer service:
E-mail: sales@beamler.com
Phone: +31 (0)6 5789 7508
Beamler BV
The Netherlands
Accepted payment methods:
Creditcard, iDEAL, PayPal
Copyright 2021 Beamler