Jabil Introduces First PLA for Powder Bed 3D Printing

When we last caught up with Luke Rodgers, senior director of R&D at Jabil (NYSE: JBL), the manufacturing solutions provider was in the process of releasing a new material for powder bed fusion (PBF) that was derived from sequestered carbon monoxide. At RAPID + TCT 2023, the materials scientist was back with a new carbon-capturing polymer for PBF—this time, PLA.Get more news about pa powder printing,you can vist our website!

Speaking to Rodgers at the tradeshow, we learned how this polymer, ubiquitous in material extrusion, introduces new benefits to the world of PBF. Developed in collaboration with NatureWorks, the world’s largest maker of PLA, Jabil’s PLA 3110P combines the printability of this typically corn-starch-based plastic with the high throughput and complexity enabled with PBF. Because Jabil is vertically integrated, it has everything from compounding to cryogenic grinding, allowing partners like NatureWorks to access all of these capabilities from a single supplier.

At the jump, Jabil has several applications in mind for the material, including vacuum and thermoforming, casting, and as a more sustainable substitute for fossil fuel-based polymers. As for thermoforming, in which a material is heated and shaped around a mold, the material has the compression strength and temperature resistance ideal for manipulating materials like polycarbonate, PETG, and polypropylene.

For metal casting, the PLA is able to melt without expanding or leaving very little residue. When printed with PBF, it also has the surface finish necessary for casting. There have been numerous stories in which desktop 3D printing users 3D print PLA models, wrapping them in a ceramic mold and burning out the models with molten metal. Unlike desktop material extrusion machines, PBF doesn’t suffer from obvious layer lines, thus resulting in smoother metal components.

Perhaps more importantly, PLA 3110P is also much more sustainable, with a carbon footprint that is 89 percent smaller than PA 12, according to NatureWorks. At the same time, it is comparatively inexpensive. This means that, when it comes to thermoforming, casting, or even printing models, prototypes, jigs, and fixtures, users now have a renewable alternative to petrochemicals. As companies seek to reduce their emissions, they can substitute their legacy materials with PLA.