CommunicationShipping & Tariff CostConfidentiality & ITARQualification All in One Place
Four Advantages Of Utilizing A Domestic Tooling Source:
Elite Mold & Engineering – Domestic Tooling Experts
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The all-new EPX 150 thermoplastic is one of Carbon’s most advanced high-performance 3D printing materials yet. Essentially an updated formulation of the popular EPX 82 material, EPX 150 now offers substantially upgraded chemical resistance and even better high-temperature stability.
Exceptional Chemical Resistance and Heat Resistance Combined with Functional Toughness
An engineering grade plastic, EPX 150 provides outstanding chemical resistance in combination with creep resistance. It also provides great high-temperature stability with a heat deflection temperature of 155°C. This makes the material suitable for an extremely wide range of additive manufacturing markets – from medical products that require repeated sterilization to 3D printed automotive parts that require high precision and repeatability.
Offering comparable mechanical properties to high-performance thermoplastics like PEEK and PSU, EPX 150 can easily accommodate complex part features and precision tolerances. Furthermore, the material’s chemical resistance and thermal stability make it perfect for manufacturing many specialized industrial products – everything from industrial spray nozzles to custom electrical connectors for harsh environments.
Comparable 3D Printing Materials:
EPX 150 offers a unique combination of performance attributes, mechanical properties, and manufacturability. However, it can be compared or considered alongside various other common high-performance thermoplastic materials, including:
- PEEK (polyether ether ketone)
- PEI (polyetherimide, or branded as Ultem)
- PSU (polysulfone)
- PBT (polybutylene terephthalate)
- PC (polycarbonate)
- Polyamides (nylon plastics)
Performance Advantages and Mechanical Properties:
Thermal Stability
The outstanding thermal stability of EPX 150 means that it retains its mechanical properties and resists aging in high-temperature applications – crucial to the modern medical sector and automotive industry as well as various industrial operations. Temperatures ranging -30C all the way up to 125°C are no problem for this high-performance thermoplastic.
Chemically Resistant
EPX 150 is highly resistant to many commonly-used chemicals and solvents including water, glycol mixtures, and many sterilization chemicals/medical disinfectants. The material not only stands up to long-term chemical exposure – it does so with minimal change in mechanical properties and virtually no change in visual appearance.
Suitable for Sterilization
EPX 150 is engineered to reliably withstand over 200 typical sterilization cycles – crucial for the modern medical field as well as various other commercial applications. (A typical sterilization cycle is defined as 134°C/ 4min in a steam autoclave.) The material’s high heat resistance and chemical resistance means that there is minimal change to dimensionality or mechanical properties, even when subjected to repeated sterilizations.
Basic Mechanical Properties of EPX 150:
- Ultimate Tensile Strength – 76 MPa (11 ksi)
- Heat Deflection Temperature – 155 °C (311 °F)
- Elongation At Break – 5 %
- Impact Strength (Notched) – 36 J/m 0.67 ft-lb/in
- Tensile Modulus – 2700 MPa 392 ksi
Michigan’s Leading Additive Manufacturing Specialist
Elite Mold & Engineering is one of the greater Michigan region’s premier injection molding companies with integrated 3D printing services. Our additive manufacturing solutions are optimized for prototyping projects and as well as low-volume batches. Get in touch to discover how we can help achieve the optimum manufacturing process for your unique products and volume requirements.
Communication
By utilizing domestic tooling, you can benefit from improved communication with your tooling vendor. No more late-night meetings or waiting days for a response from an overseas vendor. Instead, with both parties in the same or similar time zone, you can ensure timely communication that aligns with your schedule. Moreover, this approach allows you to save valuable time and money on travel expenses for potential tryouts.
Confidentiality & ITAR
When working on a highly confidential or new design, where getting to the market first is crucial, confidentiality becomes an absolute necessity. By partnering with a domestic U.S. supplier that possesses complete in-house mold construction capabilities, you can have greater confidence in the security of your data, knowing that it will not be shared without your knowledge. This is particularly essential for government projects that require ITAR data protection, making the utilization of a domestic tooling vendor a mandatory requirement.
No Additional International Shipping or Tariff Cost
With a domestic tooling supplier, you can avoid additional charges such as international freight, customs, and tariffs. The savings on shipping costs can help offset the price differences between low-cost country tooling and domestically built options. Furthermore, by choosing domestic suppliers, you can avoid delays caused by mold transportation via ocean freight or costly airfreight shipments. Saving both time and money is made possible with a domestic tooling supplier.
Qualification All In One Place
When constructing and qualifying a mold, it is essential to possess prior knowledge of any modifications or tuning that have already been undertaken. By opting for domestic mold construction, your chosen provider can ensure that they possess a comprehensive understanding and documentation of all prior work completed on the mold. This facilitates a more efficient problem-solving process and enables effective troubleshooting of potential flaws.
Let Elite Become Your Preffered Domestic Tooling Partner
Elite Mold & Engineering has been crafting top-notch plastic injection molds domestically in the United States for nearly four decades. Our talented team of experienced designers and skilled professionals in the Tooling Department are dedicated to constructing robust, high-quality, and efficient molds tailored to meet your specific project requirements.
Discover the multitude of benefits when you choose a domestic tooling source. With our expertise, experience, and commitment to quality, we provide a multitude of key advantages that will streamline your operations. Our local presence ensures seamless communication, offering you the convenience of direct and efficient collaboration. Elite’s stringent quality control measures guarantee precision and reliability, delivering top-notch tooling solutions tailored to your specific needs. Also, by choosing a domestic source, you support local businesses and contribute to the growth of your community. Our quick turnaround times ensure that you stay ahead of the competition, enabling you to meet even the tightest project deadlines. Embrace the numerous advantages of a domestic tooling source and watch your productivity soar.