In the aerospace field, PEEK has become the main material for many aerospace parts and equipment due to its unique combination of chemical resistance and durability. Polish 3D printer manufacturer Zortrax has recently cooperated with the European Space Agency (ESA) to study the combination of PEEK and ESA conductive variants to create a conforming material verification model capable of data and electrical transmission.
In the past year, Zortrax has tried to use different formulations of PEEK polymers to identify blends that exhibit the most desirable properties. Zortrax's self-described "major milestone" is the result of a collaboration with ESA, which developed an experimental conductive PEEK for the research program.
Combining ESA test materials with pure PEEK can enable Zortrax to produce stable, conductive composite polymers, which have been used to manufacture a variety of cohesive models with data transmission functions. In the future, the electrical conductivity of the fused polymer can be used to produce multifunctional parts that play a role in directing electrical signals and are critical to structural integrity.
Micha Siemaszko, head of Zortrax`s R&D department, explained: “Weight reduction is always one of the main design goals of aerospace engineering. It can be achieved by manufacturing parts that can meet multiple purposes at the same time.” In this way, structural components can be executed simultaneously. Power or data transmission function without weight loss caused by adding wires. "
The Zortrax prototype opened up a new development path for the company to create 3D printed parts with embedded electronics while maintaining the inherent strength advantages of PEEK materials. To ensure that all of its customers can benefit from R&D breakthroughs, the company has rolled out all the changes it made to the machine to all commercial systems.