en.Wedoany.com Reported - Stratasys has launched an industrial-grade flame-retardant composite material, FDM® PA6/66-GF30-FR, specifically developed for product components and critical spare parts in the railway and transportation sectors. It is compatible with the Fortus® 450mc and F900® additive manufacturing systems.
Designed to meet compliance, operational performance, and asset management parameters in the transportation industry, this composite has obtained EN 45545-2 HL2 (R22/R23) and FMVSS 302 fire safety standard certifications, making it suitable for load-bearing functional applications inside railway vehicles. Its material composition is based on a flame-retardant polyamide (PA) 6/66 copolymer matrix, reinforced with 30% glass fiber by weight. Compared to traditional polycarbonate flame-retardant (PC-FR) alternatives, this formulation offers higher structural stiffness and tensile strength, with performance comparable to high-performance materials such as ULTEM™ 9085 resin.
Specifically engineered for continuous production environments, this composite maintains stable printability, high dimensional stability, and repeatable part quality. To meet structural flexibility requirements, the polymer is fully compatible with SUP4050B soluble support structures, optimizing post-processing efficiency and production line throughput. Railway operators and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are increasingly deploying additive manufacturing systems to support on-demand spare part replacement. This localized production approach shortens component lead times and reduces spare parts inventory holding costs, particularly for long-life transportation assets and periodic fleet maintenance schedules.
Lorenzo Gasparoni, 3D Printing Project Manager at Alstom Group, noted that this material simplifies the process of implementing additive manufacturing protocols within the certifiable framework required by the railway industry. Gasparoni stated that this glass-filled thermoplastic enables repeatable production of qualified parts, while the interface with SUP4050B support layers ensures easy removal of support structures, resulting in high surface finish quality.
The polyamide 6/66 copolymer combines the linear molecular structures of nylon 6 and nylon 66 to alter crystallization kinetics, reducing the melting point and internal processing stresses compared to pure PA66, while maintaining high chemical resistance to industrial hydrocarbons, oils, and automotive fluids. The addition of 30% chopped glass fiber modifies the isotropic thermal shrinkage characteristics of unfilled polyamide during layer-by-layer material extrusion, significantly improving the material's flexural modulus and tensile strength, while also increasing the heat deflection temperature (HDT) under load. Extrusion printing of highly filled composite filaments typically requires wear-resistant extrusion nozzles, such as those made from hardened tool steel or ruby-tipped assemblies, to prevent rapid abrasive erosion of the nozzle geometry.
The European railway fire safety standard EN 45545-2 classifies interior and exterior components of railway vehicles based on exposure risk and sets requirements ranging from R1 to R28. R22 and R23 requirements specifically address flammability, smoke opacity, and gas toxicity indices for small interior components such as passenger service units, structural brackets, and electrical enclosures. The Hazard Level 2 (HL2) classification indicates that the composite has passed specific test thresholds, including critical heat flux indicators, minimum oxygen index limits, and strict smoke density limits determined through standardized radiant heat chamber evaluations, to verify the material's ability to retard flame propagation and limit toxic smoke generation in fire events.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
