3D printer manufacturer BCN3D has collaborated with Mitsubishi Chemical (MCPP) and BASF on the development of two 3D printing materials: Tough PLA and BVOH.

Tough PLA, main features and properties

Tough PLA is impact resistant, stiff and easy to use. The development of this material is based on the famous PLA (polylactic acid), a material that provides stiffness and that is available in a wide range of colours.

According to BCN3D, Tough PLA is engineered for its high impact and strength, similar to ABS, and with a stiffness akin to PLA. It is a plug and play material, shows excellent results in layer adhesion and has a very good surface quality. Tough PLA can also be easily printed using many different temperatures with no warpage or shrinkage.

The material is resistant to high impact and can perform as a standard material with more demanding properties. Due to its easy printability and adaptability in layer adhesion, Tough PLA is ideal for prototyping, manufacturing aids and manufacturing tools.

It works as an alternative to ABS for large prints as, in comparison, Tough PLA is stiffer, presents much less warping issues and is more 3D printing friendly as it doesn’t need an enclosed printing environment or emits any fumes which would require filtering.

At BCN3D, this material will first be available in black and white; red and blue references will be available thereafter.

BVOH, main features and properties

Butanediol vinyl alcohol copolymer aka BVOH is a thermoplastic optimized for the FFF manufacturing process. Acknowledged for its fast dissolution, this water-soluble material is easy to remove from inside small parts and reduces clogging issues as a result.

It is compatible with PLA, Tough PLA, PET-G, TPU 98A, ABS, PA and PAHT CF15. Highly hygroscopic, make sure to store your BVOH in a sealed container to prevent moisture absorption.

BVOH is ideal for water-soluble supports for partially enclosed cavities and complex geometries, or even sacrificial moulds. When dissolving, the higher the water temperature, the faster the process. This makes it a great way of printing temporary support materials for complex geometries, such as structures with overhangs. It gives a smooth finish on functional prototypes and has excellent surface quality. With BVOH, movable mechanisms and hollow parts are also achievable, as well as multi-component models.

“This addition of Tough PLA and BVOH brings the number of materials under our belt to a total of 11 (and counting). Both Tough PLA and BVOH are compatible with our new portfolio of the Sigma series (Sigma D25) and the Epsilon series (Epsilon W50 and Epsilon W27), as well as our old portfolio containing the Sigma and Sigmax. Just as with our printer series, we want to make printing accessible for all our users, from desktop to the workbench” one reads on BCN3D’s website.

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