How did Chi Mei's Polylac become the standard ABS for 3D printing ?

How ?

I'm pretty sure it didn't.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

Traumflug Wrote:
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> I'm pretty sure it didn't.


Ah no ? Makerbot (which represents 50% of the market) and at least half of the European filament stores sell it.

How does one tell? I have never seen any store mention the composition.

The two types I think I have used are the cream when natural type that stinks and white when natural that smells less but needs higher temperatures.

Which of those two descriptions fits "Chi Mei's Polylac" ?

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[www.hydraraptor.blogspot.com]

I don't know yet how to tell the difference without asking a laboratory for analysis. But if you ask your seller (that's what I did) he will either tell you what it is, or not tell you what it is or tell you he doesn't know.

So is it white or cream when natural? Because there are at least two distinct types sold for 3D printing.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/27/2013 03:33PM by nophead.

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[www.hydraraptor.blogspot.com]

Chi Mei natural is cream color.

im not familiar with diff bet ABS / polylac ... so whats going on with polylac? more toxic? im curious to know too :p

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__my mixed bag blog || aka --> [http] || ___ so 3D printing is everywhere ... dont worry, hospitals can now 3Dprint body parts, they will charge you $1million excluding surgical fees ... you will die paying your debts. thats their aim ___ if every patent expires tomorrow, everybody will surely get a 3dprinter and make EVERYTHING ! ____ there is a "DIY-DTG" t shirt printing forum, you can mod an EPSON printer to PRINT like a pro. ___ CNCzone? overly commercialized it seems ___ my country? they will be taxing you for every cm of road you use and track you to your grave using GPS and its government authorized, now they will fire all the traffic wardens instead.___ EEVBLOG? there is only 1 way to do things --> take it apart like a pro

I was just curious why this particular brand of ABS was chosen by who ever started "it". From my early research polylac would happen to be a cheap low quality ABS and higher quality ones could give better results.

oic ... does this material succumb to acetone "vapor" process as good as the normal ABS? if not ... i must say it is really junk then lol

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__my mixed bag blog || aka --> [http] || ___ so 3D printing is everywhere ... dont worry, hospitals can now 3Dprint body parts, they will charge you $1million excluding surgical fees ... you will die paying your debts. thats their aim ___ if every patent expires tomorrow, everybody will surely get a 3dprinter and make EVERYTHING ! ____ there is a "DIY-DTG" t shirt printing forum, you can mod an EPSON printer to PRINT like a pro. ___ CNCzone? overly commercialized it seems ___ my country? they will be taxing you for every cm of road you use and track you to your grave using GPS and its government authorized, now they will fire all the traffic wardens instead.___ EEVBLOG? there is only 1 way to do things --> take it apart like a pro

I think the more professional companies use ABS that does not smell. I think that is white, not cream.

The first filament used was 3mm welding rod, so not really intended for 3D printing at all.

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[www.hydraraptor.blogspot.com]

Makerbot, Ultimachine, Lulzbot, and Village Plastics all use Chi Mei's PA-947 ABS. It's a yellowish cream color in it's natural state. The reason it is used in the US is because it is what Village Plastics processes. PA-947 most likely accounts for greater than 50% of the ABS used in 3d printers because it is one of the most popular general purpose ABS grades and from the largest ABS manufacturer in the world. It is also stocked in extremely large quantities. In the US (where I'm at), I could have 1,000,000 lbs delivered tomorrow if I paid for it today. Very, very few plastics are that readily available. It is also a cheap ABS resin to purchase, mainly because it is so plentiful and vice versa.

State side, most 3d filament distributors haven't done much testing of other types of ABS because Village Plastics charges a lot to do any testing. Since PA-947 ABS worked, people moved on to more pressing problems with the 3d printers. Is it the best ABS resin for 3D Printing? No, but it does work. Most distributor's won't even tell you what ABS resin they are using. Some of them don't even know.

To my knowledge, no one has done any side by side testing of different filament types, especially mechanical properties.

Ok this explains it.

(I assume you meant 747 not 947)