Hi all,

SHD have a new material they are developing. Its a higher temperature cure but still classed as a low temp resin system with an 85 degree C cure being needed. The spec sheet recommended cure will be all you need to use (Currently it is 65 degrees for 2 hours with a 1 degree per minute ramp then 16 hours at 85 degrees C with the same ramp rate to get up to temp) and it works perfectly.  I have made two parts this week. One had some pinholes  (60 degree C, dwell 60 minutes, 70 degree C also 60 minute dwell then 85 degrees for 16 hours). The second was perfect with the cure I first mentioned (65 degrees for 2 hours then 85 for the rest of the cure). Speed of ramp is important but I think the dwell and staged cure is the key. If I know the gel time then I could ramp up after that to speed the cure up but then the energy needed to run those higher temps means all I am saving is time not energy. 


The above part has pinholes. Not big ones but I can see them. The clarity of the new resin makes it a pain to get photos of indoors so its like taking photos of a black mirror.

Below the part is flawless and it was a simple cure cycle change. Its hard to believe a small difference can make such a change but it shows how the use of a good controller can possibly improve your parts. 



To avoid cheating and posting images of prepped or finished parts all my photos are out of the mould and untrimmed. This is exactly how they come out of the mould good or bad.