CRP Technology has released the latest 3D printing material from its Windform TOP-LINE composite series: Windform FR1. The material is apparently the first flame retardant (UL 94 V-0 rated) carbon fiber-reinforced material for selective laser sintering. (Markforged recently released a flame retardant carbon fiber composite filament, Onyx FR).
The Windform FR1 composite material is suitable for a number of industrial applications, including for the production of aircraft and aerospace parts (interior, cockpit, cabin, air conditioning, air duct and air outlet valve components); parts for the automotive and transportation sectors (such as vehicle interiors, housing and enclosure assemblies); consumer goods and electronic components (including lighting and appliances); as well as many other applications that require flame retardant qualities.
“Only a few days from the launch of a new range of Windform materials, the P-LINE for HSS technology, I’m very proud to launch a new revolutionary composite material from the Windform TOP-LINE family of materials for Laser Sintering technology,” commented Franco Cevolini, VP and CTO at CRP Technology. “Our aim is to constantly produce technological breakthroughs. With Windform FR1 we can steer you toward the proper solution for your projects.”
In addition to receiving a UL 94 V-0 flame retardant rating, the carbon fiber-reinforced 3D printing material also successfully passed FAR 25.853 12 second vertical and 15 second horizontal flammability tests as well as the 45° Bunsen burner test, which is used to test the resistance of cargo compartment materials to flame.
The newly launched material—a halogen-free polyamide-based powder—reportedly offers excellent mechanical properties and superior stiffness while remaining lightweight. The material joins a number of other laser sintering materials in the Windform TOP-LINE, including Windform XT 2.0, Windform GT, Windform FX Black and others. The Italian company’s composite materials for SLS 3D printing have been used for a range of applications in the motorsport, aerospace and automotive industries, to name a few.
