High-Performance materials are trending in the 3D printing industry.

According to 3D print magazine, high-end plastics in FDM printing is one of the five main 3D printing trends for 2017.

Not every trend is just about technology. The other 4 trends are workflow streamlining with CAD integrated software for 3D prints, quality control of 3D printed parts, a lower price level for metal printers and innovation in filament materials like multi-material and conducting materials.

3D print magazine recognizes the growing interest in special filament material like PEEK and PEI for FDM printing (also known as FFF printing). FDM is by far the biggest market in 3D printing and, in 2016, PEEK and PEI were seen as the ‘buzzwords’ within the industry. There are a few manufacturers who claim to have special nozzles for high temperature thermoplastics. Because of the temperature resistance of PEEK (which lies around 300 degrees Celsius), the material is harder to manage when 3D printing than most other plastics. Of course, 3D printing PEEK requires more than a special nozzle alone. Add to this the fact that both the print quality and the pricing can differ a lot between the several brands offering a 3D PEEK printer, it can lead to a lot of insecurities when first trying it. You can read more here about PEEK 3D printing. 

Tractus3D has got a good handle on this technology already with the Tractus3D T650P, which has been on the market since April 2016. You can read the complete 3D print magazine article here, in Dutch.