3D printer peek

All you need to know about PEEK for 3D printing

Published on April 6, 2020 by Carlota V.

Polyether ether ketone, more commonly known as PEEK, is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic that is well known in the manufacturing industry for its mechanical properties. For some years now, it has been a popular material in the additive manufacturing sector. Today, it is available in filament form for all FDM/FFF machines, and is slowly becoming available in powder form for SLS processes. Mainly used in the aerospace, medical and automotive industries, PEEK is heat and wear resistant and can substitute some metals due to its weight-to-strength ratio. Note that it is a demanding 3D printing material, difficult to print, requiring a number of parameters to be met. So what are the characteristics of PEEK in 3D printing?

PEEK is a member of the PAEK (polyaryletherketone) family, which is known for its high thermomechanical properties. If we look at the pyramid of different polymers in the industry, PEEK is at the top of the pyramid, in the high performance polymer category. It was first marketed at the end of the 1970s, and quickly adopted by sectors such as aeronautics or electronics because of the performance it can offer. If we look at its structure, note that it is a semi-crystalline polymer, therefore when it melts, its molecules arrange themselves under the effect of heat, creating a certain order until the material solidifies completely. This enables it to maintain its mechanical characteristics when the temperature is increased. While this semi-crystalline structure has many advantages, it should be noted that in additive manufacturing, it involves a more complex printing process: it is a highly technical material that requires experience and the appropriate system.

PEEK is a demanding 3D printing material

In 3D printing, the crystallization process of PEEK must be controlled. Indeed, part of the material will crystallize, changing the density of the material. Therefore, high temperature levels – extrusion, build plate and enclosure – must be maintained and fluctuations in temperature must be avoided. To print 3D print PEEK, you will therefore need a 3D printer with an extruder that can reach 400°C, a chamber heated of 120°C, and a build plate that can heat to 230°C to remove the part and avoid warping.

If PEEK is a demanding material, it must also be said that it offers very interesting mechanical and chemical characteristics for the industry. In fact, it is very resistant to heat and wear, has a high chemical resistance, it’s sterilizable and has dielectric properties. PEEK also has a high weight-to-strength ratio and is often used to replace certain metals. Finally, PEEK is flame resistant which makes it an interesting 3D printing material for sectors such as aerospace that have high fire/smoke constraints.

Credits: Apium

Areas of application

This high-performance material is particularly interesting for the medical sector. Since it’s sterilizable, it can be used for a number of applications including the manufacture of custom-made implants. PEEK has properties similar to human bone: an implant 3D printed with PEEK could therefore promote the reconstruction of tissues around the implant, accelerating osseointegration. In fact, some companies have turned to 3D printing of PEEK to design customized medical devices such as FossiLabs.

Aerospace and automotive are also markets where PEEK 3D printing is common. Additive manufacturing allows for the creation of high-performance, lightweight, custom and on-demand parts: coupled with the use of a high-performance material, it is even more attractive. PEEK will offer greater wear and temperature resistance, while optimizing weight – a key factor in such areas.

Credits: Apium

Who are the manufacturers?

Currently, the majority of PEEK in 3D printing is available in filament form, compatible with FFF 3D printers. Carbon fiber filled PEEK is also available on the market. Chemical companies such as Victrex, Solvay and Evonik are the main producers of the material. On the filament side, most machine manufacturers today produce their spools such as Intamsys or Apium. The Spanish company Innovatefil, a subsidiary of Smart Materials 3D, also offers it. If we now look at the price, PEEK is a very expensive material: count between 350 and 700€ for 1 kg.

It is most widely available in filament form | Credits: 3DGence

Finally, for SLS processes, the manufacturer EOS was the first – and the only one – to offer PEEK HP3, a high-performance material for selective laser sintering (SLS). However, the Belgian company Aerosint is working on the design of an SLS machine capable of combining several materials – PEEK could be one of them.

*Cover Image Credits: Indmatec

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2022 Guide to PEEK 3D printers (and PEKK, ULTEM/PEI)

Introduction

PEEK, like PEI (ULTEM) and PEKK, is a high-performance polymer (a.k.a. “ultra polymer” and sometimes “super polymer”) that is able to maintain its mechanical properties in challenging environments. Its continuous use temperature (CUT) can go over 250°C, and it is resistant to almost all chemicals except for nitric and sulphuric acids. For decades, this high-performance thermoplastic has been used in demanding industries such as aerospace, oil and gas, and more.

The 3D printing of high-performance polymers like PEEK is, however, a challenge. It requires a high-temperature extruder and a heated chamber – among other tightly monitored elements – above and beyond what standard FFF 3D printers offer. And whereas the PEEK 3D printer market used to be a niche with very few players, today, many manufacturers claim that their printers are suitable for PEEK and PEI 3D printing. Aniwaa’s 3D printer catalog lists over 90 high-temperature 3D printers!

A few sample parts in high-performance polymers such as PEEK, PEKK, and ULTEM from 3DGence. Source: Aniwaa

But boasting high-temperature extruders and heated chambers is often not enough. Thus, our goal here is to select high-temperature 3D printers that stand out from the rest, and not only in terms of hardware. We also take into account a range of factors such as manufacturer maturity, feedback from our network, availability, and distribution.

Of course, this doesn’t mean they’re the only ones out there, but they are some of the most reliable solutions for high-performance polymer AM (additive manufacturing). We mention a few cost-effective options and industry-specific machines in separate sections so as to provide a comprehensive overview nonetheless.

We work with a large number of distributors and brands worldwide– contact us for a personalized recommendation based on your project and location.

High-temperature 3D printers 2022: our selection

The table below recaps our selection of some of the best PEEK 3D printer options. The goal is to provide a quick, visual overview of the market; there are of course numerous other factors to take into account (certifications, software, customer service, …) to get the full picture for each solution and eventually make the right choice.

Brand	Product	Build size	Country	Price Approximate starting prices based on supplier-provided information and public data. Prices may vary by region, over time and do not include additional products or services (taxes, shipping, accessories, training, installation, …).
INTAMSYS	FUNMAT PRO 410	305 × 305 × 406 mm12.01 × 12.01 × 15.98 in	China	$ 25,00025 412 €22,176 £3,726,400 ¥	Quote
Apium	P220	220 × 175 × 160 mm8.66 × 6.89 × 6.3 in	Germany	$ 29,00025 000 €25,724 £4,322,624 ¥	Quote
3DGence	INDUSTRY F421	380 × 380 × 420 mm14.96 × 14.96 × 16.54 in	Poland	$ 50,00050 000 €44,352 £7,452,800 ¥	Quote
AON3D This brand is a certified partner from our network.	AON M2+ This product has been reviewed by our team.	450 × 450 × 565 mm17.72 × 17.72 × 22.24 in	Canada	$ 59,40060 380 €52,690 £8,853,926 ¥	Quote
miniFactory	Ultra	330 × 180 × 180 mm12.99 × 7.09 × 7.09 in	Finland	$ 65,00065 000 €57,658 £9,688,640 ¥	Quote
3ntr	Spectral 30	300 × 300 × 300 mm11.81 × 11.81 × 11.81 in	–	$ 110,000111 814 €97,574 £16,396,160 ¥	Quote
Stratasys	Fortus 450mc	406 × 355 × 406 mm15.98 × 13.98 × 15.98 in	–	$ 149,000116 000 €132,169 £22,209,344 ¥	Quote
Roboze	ARGO 500	500 × 500 × 500 mm19.69 × 19.69 × 19.69 in	Italy	upon request	Quote

Expand to see more specs

Note: There are over 90 printers that are supposedly capable of 3D printing PEEK and other high-performance materials. This is a shortlist of what we believe to be some of the best PEEK 3D printers on the market.

The products in the table are ranked by price (low to high).

Brand	Product	Build size	Build volume	Extruder temp.	Build plate temp.	Build chamber temp.	Country	Price Approximate starting prices based on supplier-provided information and public data. Prices may vary by region, over time and do not include additional products or services (taxes, shipping, accessories, training, installation, …).
INTAMSYS	FUNMAT PRO 410	305 × 305 × 406 mm12.01 × 12.01 × 15.98 in	37.77 L	500°C	160°C	90°C	China	$ 25,00025 412 €22,176 £3,726,400 ¥	Get a quote
Apium	P220	220 × 175 × 160 mm8.66 × 6.89 × 6.3 in	4.77 L	540°C	160°C	180°C	Germany	$ 29,00025 000 €25,724 £4,322,624 ¥	Get a quote
3DGence	INDUSTRY F421	380 × 380 × 420 mm14. 96 × 14.96 × 16.54 in	60.65 L	500°C	180°C	180°C	Poland	$ 50,00050 000 €44,352 £7,452,800 ¥	Get a quote
AON3D This brand is a certified partner from our network.	AON M2+ This product has been reviewed by our team.	450 × 450 × 565 mm17.72 × 17.72 × 22.24 in	114.41 L	500°C	200°C	135°C	Canada	$ 59,40060 380 €52,690 £8,853,926 ¥	Get a quote
miniFactory	Ultra	330 × 180 × 180 mm12.99 × 7.09 × 7.09 in	10.69 L	480°C	250°C	250°C	Finland	$ 65,00065 000 €57,658 £9,688,640 ¥	Get a quote
3ntr	Spectral 30	300 × 300 × 300 mm11.81 × 11.81 × 11.81 in	27 L	500°C	300°C	250°C	–	$ 110,000111 814 €97,574 £16,396,160 ¥	Get a quote
Stratasys	Fortus 450mc	406 × 355 × 406 mm15. 98 × 13.98 × 15.98 in	58.52 L	450°C	350°C	350°C	–	$ 149,000116 000 €132,169 £22,209,344 ¥	Get a quote
Roboze	ARGO 500	500 × 500 × 500 mm19.69 × 19.69 × 19.69 in	125 L	550°C	–	180°C	Italy	upon request	Get a quote

Below, we mapped these PEEK 3D printers by price and chamber temperature. Again, there are other factors to take into account (manufacturer maturity, customer service, warranties, material choice, certifications, etc.) – this is just a preliminary, simplistic view of the high-temperature 3D printer market.

An overview of our 2022 PEEK 3D printer selection

In this section, we give some more context and information about each high-temp 3D printer from our selection.

INTAMSYS has been producing high-temperature 3D printers for several years. The FUNMAT PRO 410 is one of the company’s most affordable solutions along with the FUNMAT HT.

This entry-level solution for high-performance polymer 3D printing features a large build volume, a dual extruder, and sensor-assisted bed leveling.