PA GF is a polyamide with glass fibre, a 3D printing filament used to print very durable components such as machine parts, tools or housings. This material requires care in setting the print parameters well and using the right printer.
Polyamide with glass fibre is a material that exhibits higher strength and stiffness, while maintaining a low level of material brittleness. Thanks to its glass fibre reinforcement, it is also resistant to chemicals.
Compared to other materials used in 3D printing, PA GF is difficult to print, it is more prone to twisting, layer separation. It is therefore particularly important to select the printing parameters for this filament and to adapt them to the printer you are using. Attention should be paid to the lower printing speed, higher printing temperature and faster material flow.
In addition, glass fibre reinforced polyamide is more difficult to work with than other materials, so it is often subjected to treatment – grinding or polishing. This is necessary to achieve a completely smooth surface.
Glass-fibre polyamide is widely used in many industries, especially due to its very good mechanical properties and resistance to high temperatures.
The most important thing when preparing polyamide with glass fibre for printing is to dry the filament properly. This material is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture from its surroundings, so drying for several hours before printing is necessary. The filament should be stored in a sealed bag with a moist absorbent that will absorb excess moisture from the environment.
The price of PA GF tends to be higher than that of unblended materials like ABS, PLA or PA itself. It depends on the manufacturer and the size of the order.
The best 3D printer for PA GF filament, is the VSHAPER 500 PRO or 270 PRO machine. Thanks to its design, it will enable the correct temperature to be maintained inside the chamber. It will ensure perfect adhesion of layers and perfect dimensional tolerance.
Keep in mind that if you have a VSHAPER printer and SOFTSHAPER software, you will receive a profile of the new filament with print settings that you will adapt to your project. This allows you to print efficiently and accurately straight away, without wasting time on trial prints on your machine.
Both PA GF and PEEK GF are advanced materials for 3D printing. Each offers very good mechanical, chemical and thermal properties. However, PEEK GF tends to be mechanically stronger, more resistant to chemicals and has a higher Tg temperature than PA GF. However, PEEK GF is more difficult to obtain and more expensive than PA GF. Therefore, it is worth considering which material will be more beneficial for a given print.
