Dear %FIELD:143%, welcome to our new style newsletter, look out for updates on new processes, materials and news items approximately every month or two. This issue we shall talk about our new Nylon SLS material, Innov'PA 1550, and give you an update on our current SLA material WaterShed™ 11120.
After months of testing earlier this year, MNL are proud to announce another first in the UK. Innov'PA 1550 is a completely new Nylon SLS powder producing parts with a superior surface finish. With the look and feel much closer to injection moulded components, Innov'PA 1550 is a cut above other Nylon SLS powders. Innov'PA 1550 with its more “plastic like” behaviour, is based on a new formula and a radically different manufacturing process. The improvement in the mechanical properties, and its ability to produce finer detail is down to a smaller grain size resulting in better cohesion between layers. This polyamide powders natural colour is white-cream. Innov'PA produces models that are functional with excellent chemical resistance. These properties make components more suitable for rapid manufacture, than other Nylon powders. New Powder enables Vacuum Metallizing on to SLS In the past MNL has produced vacuum metallized parts, but this was a lengthy process ... yielding typical savings of 30-40% on both cost and timescales. For more info on metalizing directly onto SLS click here.
MNL first started using WaterShed™ 11120 in the summer of 2006. MNL thought this material was clearly a better choice of resin for their overall requirements for a variety of reasons ... Parts in WaterShed™come out of the machine with a high level of clarity; like glass - slightly tinted in thicker sections. Utilising MNL's many years of finishing excellence it can be finished clear for lenses and other parts requiring high clarity. You can also have this material tinted with lacquer techniques in a variety of colours if required. WaterShed™also has the benefit of greater stiffness than other SL materials without being brittle. With an elongation to break of between 11 and 20%, WaterShed™ is a great choice for snap fits. It is also a very accurate material with the ability to resolve fine features and detail. WaterShed™will retain its properties over a variety of environmental conditions, where other SL materials often lose strength and "wilt". Applications for WaterShed™ 11120in Product Development are: Water flow analysis • QuickCast™ patterns • RTV patterns • Lightguides • Lamp Lenses ••• for more info click here
