After months of testing, the research and development team at Weerg - a manufacturing company that offers CNC machining and inline 3D printing in Italy and abroad - has launched an exclusive new material for additive manufacturing using FDM technology. It is PEEK, an organic thermoplastic polymer with exceptional mechanical properties. The material has a similar performance to aluminum, making it a perfect metal replacement. PEEK is now available online at weerg.com, where you can order 3D prints with complex geometries thanks to the flexibility of additive manufacturing. The whole thing comes with an instant quote and a delivery time of just 3 days.
This material, which belongs to the polyether ether ketone family, is often referred to as the "king of polymers" due to its unique performance. It is characterized by its extremely low weight and at the same time offers a tensile strength (UTS) of up to 89 MPa. The high mechanical strength and low density make PEEK an excellent candidate to replace the main non-ferrous metal alloys. In addition, the PEEK used by Weerg is flame retardant (tested to UL94 V0) and resistant to substances such as oils, greases and hydrocarbons, ensuring excellent thermal performance. The material is even suitable for continuous use at temperatures of up to 145°C and, with heat treatment, even up to 250°C. Other advantages include maximum resistance to vibrations, even the strongest vibrations, and very low moisture absorption - properties that extend the range of applications even further. The PEEK tested and used by Weerg is amorphous and has a very special amber color to ensure higher ductility and impact resistance. Weerg's PEEK products are therefore also suitable for use in difficult conditions and harsh environments, such as in the aerospace industry, where it can be used for the production of structural parts, covers and insulation, or in the medical field, where it is considered an advanced biomaterial for the production of implants and prostheses.
"In the last year, the 3D printing sector has grown exponentially, highlighting the need to develop ever more efficient materials," explains Matteo Rigamonti, founder of Weerg. "For this reason, we are investing considerable resources in the development of materials with special properties that can be used for specific industrial applications, thus constantly expanding our range". Focusing exclusively on e-commerce, Weerg's offer stands out internationally for its timeliness and completeness: 100% "Made in Italy" quality, immediate quotation, competitive prices and reliable delivery times. All this is guaranteed by the efficiency of a state-of-the-art machine park equipped with the best technologies. For example, the 3D printing department has the largest European installation of HP Multi Jet Fusion 5210 industrial printers, of which 12 units are complemented by the same number of Lherr 4000 (MSLA +4KSPER) stereolithography printers for resins and 6 additive manufacturing systems with FDM technology. For CNC machining, Weerg has 10 Hermle C42U 5-axis throughfeed machines, divided into two groups, each fully automated with anthropomorphic robots and loading/unloading stations and communicating directly with the internal management system, as well as 2 fully automated Mazak Integrex Multitasking i-200 lathes. State-of-the-art solutions for all types of machining. This ensures a perfect combination of automation and Industry 4.0 processes.
