A material’s strength is one of its mechanical properties. The mechanical properties of a material determine its behavior under applied loads. Material strength refers to the maximum stress it can withstand before it fails.
Standard Definitions Of Material Strength Used In 3D Printing
Tensile strength
Tensile or elastic strength refers to a material’s stiffness and is the maximum stress it can tolerate before becoming deformed by stretching or breaks.
Calculating a material's tensile strength will indicate how far a model can be loaded before it fails in 3D printing.
Elongation
Elongation refers to a material’s ductility. In materials science, ductility is how much a material can be stretched or bent without breaking.
High ductility means a material can be stretched or elongated into a thin wire shape without breaking. On the other hand, low ductility means a material will fracture if deformed under a heavy load.
Hardness
The Rockwell scale is a way to measure how hard materials are. It uses letters from A to K to show different levels of hardness. The last letter tells you how hard the material is. 3D printing materials are usually HRC or HRB.
Moreover, the more complex the material is, the higher the number will be.
Impact resistance
Impact resistance refers to a material’s ability to withstand impact without fracturing or breaking. The higher a material’s impact strength, the less likely it is to break or fracture when subjected to sudden stress.
Chemical resistance
Chemical resistance is significant when making 3D-printed parts in a process that requires chemicals and when working in a chemically harsh environment.
UV resistance
Sunlight exposure can weaken a material’s bonds and cause a part to fail. If you’re making 3D-printed parts exposed to sunlight, you will undoubtedly need a 3D printer filament with high UV resistance.
Temperature resistance
When making parts that need to function at high temperatures, it’s essential to use a material that doesn’t soften.
Nylon, PEEK, and Polycarbonate filaments are more heat resistant than other filaments but must be 3D printed at higher temperatures than other materials. You must ensure that your 3D printer's hot end — where the filament moves onto the construction plate — can handle these temperatures.
Heat Deflection Temperature
Heat Deflection Temperature (HDT) is when a material starts to bend or warp when you apply pressure to it.
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