When your goal is design verification, building an RTV tool for short-run elastomeric casting is a big time-sink. When you consider the iterative nature of prototyping, it is also a recurring one. For years, this investment in time and resources has been accepted as part of the prototyping process for elastomeric designs. The recent launch of 3D Systems’ FabPro® Elastic BLK material offers engineers a new opportunity to accelerate the prototyping of rubber-like parts to save time and money in design verification.
Ideal in compressive applications
New FabPro Elastic BLK material offers excellent compressive characteristics and shape recovery with a realistic opaque black rubber look and feel. It is most similar to Shore 65A elastomer. Suggested applications include:
- Overmolds, seals, gaskets;
- Grommets;
- Grips;
- Vibration dampening components;
- Push buttons, soft touch keypads, etc.
Combined with the fast printing speeds and part quality of the FabPro 1000 printer, this material accelerates the design and iteration of new concepts for rubber-like parts.
Elastomeric prototyping with less fuss at a lower cost
In addition to being much faster than conventional prototyping processes for silicone, urethane, or natural rubber parts, 3D printing elastomeric parts on the FabPro 1000 is surprisingly cost-effective. The FabPro is 3D Systems' most affordable industrial 3D printer, and enables engineers and designers to reduce third-party spending by managing their prototyping processes in-house for affordable parts within hours, rather than expensive parts days later.
