MakerBot (www.makerbot.com) — a ‘global leader in 3-D printing’ and a subsidiary of Stratasys — is continuing to expand the range of materials for its Method printer; with the addition of PC-ABS and PC-ABS FR, there are now 10 materials available for this machine.

PC-ABS (polycarbonate-acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) has a high resistance to heat and a high tensile strength, making it suitable for use by the automotive, rail and electronics industries.

PC-ABS FR is a flame-retardant material that meets the UL-94 V0 standard (an important fire-safety specification).

The addition of polycarbonate to ABS delivers higher impact strength and heat resistance than the standard ABS material; it is used frequently in injection moulding.

MakerBot says that PC-ABS prints more successfully with an enclosed heated chamber, and that parts printed on a desk-top 3-D printer with only a heated build plate are susceptible to temperature variations that can cause part deformation and lower part strength.

The company has increased its Method X’s maximum enclosed chamber temperature at the build plane from 100°C to 110°C to ensure ‘superior part accuracy and interlayer adhesion’.

Johan-Till Broer, Makerbot vice president of product development, said: “With its excellent thermal and mechanical properties, PC-ABS is an engineering material for applications that require high impact and heat-resistance.

“Method X is the only printer in its price class with a heated chamber that reaches up to 110°C on the build plane, making it suitable for printing PC-ABS.

“As a result, this improves the success rate and efficiency of the prototyping process, reducing the time to market for new products. The material can also be printed with SR-30 soluble supports, allowing customers to produce complex geometries with intricate or deep internal cavities or overhangs.”

MakerBot has an extensive offering of engineering-grade materials for the Method platform; these include ABS, ASA Nylon, PETG, Tough, PLA, SR-30, PVA and a host of qualified third-party materials from leading filament suppliers.