A 4th dimension for 3D prints - Colorfabb Light-Weight, foaming PLA

[@CNCKitchen]

Don't forget to share this video on Facebook, Reddit, Twitter and other social media!

[@dkiulian]

Wait when did reddit become a social media? XD

[@CNCKitchen]

Yes, I do and for many years now. I can recommend way more than even this one audio book 😉

[@vincentgarcia6630]

Thank you for another thorough af video Stefan! I'm very interested in this foaming filament. Will we maybe see a foaming tpu video from you in the next few weeks? Sorry, I just am stupid-excited about this brand new versatile filament, and I'm highly curious what your results and impressions of it will be 😁

[@inferno7181]

Lmao who the fuck uses facebook anymore?

[@goofycker]

bezahlte Werbung.... danke

[@frankbauerful]

Can you print a Benchy that swims well by printing it at high density in the bottom few layers and low density for the rest so it is heavier in the bottom and lies stable in the water?

[@CNCKitchen]

Good idea!

[@lavachemist]

I came here to ask if it floats. I guess this is the same question, phrased a bit differently.

[@maxthecatwizard7937]

micvee The **normal** benchy can float, but barely

[@maxthecatwizard7937]

If u touch it it will tip over

[@amrfwws]

I wanna see it!

[@chloemcholoe3280]

duuude you should've put the non-foamed low temp parts in the oven at like 230 to watch them foam up after the print!

[@SteffenBauer]

you probably loose the gas while extruding

[@TheLordinio]

you will just have a bubbly mess of molten plastic in your oven

[@lukemagdalin6169]

@@SteffenBauer no, if you print at a low temp the chemical is still inside, as he said they put the chemical in before extruding a roll but at a lower temp

[@jeffwells641]

The foaming temp is way, way above the liquid transition temp, so it will all melt and *then* foam up. What might work is making the outer shell thin and the inner sections thick and then hitting it with a bow torch. If you get the heat high enough and for a brief enough period you'll foam the shell without changing the shape.

[@Volt64bolt]

Chloe Mcholoe it will melt,try it.it will.

[@MadeWithLayers]

Awesome results! I really should get back to Colorfabb and get my hands on some LW PLA as well.

[@CNCKitchen]

Do it!

[@AquaTech225]

Agreed

[@enyoc3d]

i wonder if the trapped air gives parts insulating properties?

[@CNCKitchen]

Very good point! It will definitely be a very good insulator due to the closed porosity.

[@Audio_Simon]

@@CNCKitchen Ahh, not a good acoustic absorber then...

[@Scott_C]

Since it foams up. You should be able to use it as a super light weight yet stable in-fill.

[@vincentgarcia6630]

@@Audio_Simon wait. But if it has more insulating, won't it absorb more sound then?

[@cupbowlspoonforkknif]

Great point, I think it would be a good insulator. 3d printed drink holders!

[@homebodyhero4602]

I'm disappointed this channel isn't set up like a cooking show. "And here we have the printed parts already prepared"

[@TheBohrokMan]

Very cool! Excellent tests as always! One thing to note is that strength/density is not always the best performance measure for weight critical applications depending on the geometry and loading. For flat plates in bending (i.e. airplane wings), a better performance measure is the strength^(1/2) over the density. For bars in bending (like a wing spar), the proper performance quantity is strength^(2/3)/ density, depending on how it is loaded and the geometry. Because foams are low density, a thin panel made from foam would actually be both stronger and stiffer than a panel of the same weight made from a material with greater density and higher stiffness/density. I could see this material being super useful for RC airplanes like you mentioned! For more info, look up Ashby material index if you’re interested.

[@parrottm76262]

Just when I thought I had seen it all for FDM printing, you show us these results. My mind boggles at the possibilities. Wow!

[@BigBlack81]

Variosure filament review video, please. PLEASE!!! This is the content I drool over.

[@RyanKelbel]

This! ☝️

[@Horendus123]

Whats that?

[@vincentgarcia6630]

The what?

[@Sleepery22]

Bump! Please, waiting for this anxiously!

[@TheBitterBeard]

We're seeing the bits and pieces of our future manufacturing abilities, appearing in these 3d special filiments. Awesome stuff!

[@vincentgarcia6630]

In 6 years the average enthusiast will be able to print their own cars 😂😂😁

[@Rottwiler44]

ikr, have you seen the E3D ASMBL yet?

[@Evinosx]

I really appreciate your approach to formal testing of materials. I'm an engineer in training and have been able to use the industry versions of your DIY UTM and Impact test. Keep up the good work.

[@samnelson3526]

This is so cool! I am interested in the Varioshore TPU, as it sounds like it could have some pretty cool uses!

[@ts3dprints732]

You are so in-depth on all of your videos. It's so great. Keep up the hard work.

[@ARVash]

This definitely seems like a good way to make more with less, I bet it would be really good for lost pla casting as well

[@damonnikolaidis71]

It would be very interesting to see the Varioshore TPU tested. The most important property for practical use would probably be how much force it takes before you reach the foamed up material's yield point and it starts permanently deforming. Keep it up Stefan!

[@marc_frank]

i'd love to see a variable desity plane wing you could print the struts in the middle with 200° and the skin of the wing with 250° i've reached the end, the dual extruder idea is a lot better

[@martylawson1638]

Variable temperature still has a lot of merit due to it's wider applicability. I think you can do this automatically if you setup a fake second extruder in the slicer, and make sure the custom tool change G-code includes an M-code to wait for the new temperature. (M109, M116, or G4) While the code will have extra T0 and T1 commands, your printer is likely to ignore them if it doesn't actually have a second tool.

[@bulygoat]

What if you were able to create a small wipe tower like you would with multi-material prints? It should give the hot end the required time to heat up or cool off.

[@Flagazz]

@Marty Lawson how about setting up the g-code instead of waiting ... to gradually lower the temperature from the outside to the inside wall or to a concentric infill? We can assume that with a 40W heater, you can go from ~220 to 240 degrees (the range affected by the foaming process) in about 15 seconds or even less time... to cool down it will probably last longer, need to give a closer look... that’s cool...

[@Side85Winder]

That airplane wing looks way to flexable to use deformation expecially twisting of the wing has catastrophic consequences. Even if you varied the nozzle tempature for the internal struts i don't think its a optimal design. The best way is to use carbon fiber tubing its light, stiff and affordable.

[@marc_frank]

@@Side85Winder that's what i'm doing for my latest drone frame, it's on my channel this isn't about performance, but simplicity, although i value both a lot

[@dude6935]

Best 3D printing channel on KZbin.

[@JohnOCFII]

I really enjoy your detailed filament analysis. This is a really interesting filament, and, I think, gives a hint of where 3D Printing will be going in the years ahead.

[@Amberdogproductions]

Very informative video! Lots of work and time put into this. Thank you!

[@titter3648]

So use the foaming for gradient filler material and non foaming temperature for the shell/perimeter. That way you can get a "solid" part that is still light weight and uses less material, but is still strong. And the foamed material can be used for interface material between support and the model for easy removal support.

[@lagynas]

Nobody: you can print 3 times more with 1kg. Me: You son of a *****, I'm in.

[@n8taing612]

Lol Rick and morty

[@pauld8747]

"Nobody" ? Idiot

[@MurphyTJ]

Aaaand the roll costs 5 times more...

[@gregzambo6693]

This looks to me the ideal construxction material - like bone it can have a hard outer shell and a light foam inside. Excellent work Stefan, I would like to see more experiments with this material.

[@Ucceah]

that looks absolutely perfect for printed RC planes. but what people seem to keep overlooking with those, is how easy it is to hand-laminater on a paper thin layer of fiber glass or carbon, and possibly get a better strengh to weight ratio and (propably) the majority of commercial planes.

[@frankward3794]

I love the deep dives into the materials and the self-made testing tools on your channel! Great investigation into the properties of this filament!

[@GunGryphon]

I'm very interested in the Variashore TPU, a lot of TPU filaments are still quite ridged in application since they don't compress well, but this stuff sounds like it would bend more naturally since the foam can compress.

[@martylawson1638]

Variable temperature has a lot of merit due to it's wider applicability. I think you can do this automatically if you setup a fake second extruder in the slicer, and make sure the custom tool change G-code includes an M-code to wait for the new temperature. (M109, M116, or G4) While the code will have extra T0 and T1 commands, your printer is likely to ignore them if it doesn't actually have a second tool.

[@tobiasgunny]

You brought up multi nozzle use cases and I agree! This sort of thinking applied to our industry could be huge.

[@wuerfel_schmied]

I think the dampening properties of this material can be very useful. I for example create dicetowers, and the regular prints are pretty loud to some degree. But with a material like this I think it will dampen the sound pretty good, though it will also lower the weight and might cause stability issues, if the towers won't be hold into place somehow.

[@mk6315]

Just a few bounce pads should be enough

[@LincolnWorld]

Thanks for creating some of the most useful 3D printing content out there! This was great. I'd love to see more about the tpu one as well.

[@wordreet]

Super interesting! I've been making and flying foam planes for around 8 years now, so I definitely want to try this method. The main issue I see already with your printed wing is that foam sheet will commonly be 5 or 6mm thick to form the skin of a wing, with minimal internal structure, and just a single carbon fibre tube to provide stiffness. Thinner foam, such as 3mm or 2mm requires exponentially more internal bracing, even that balsa wood, in spite of having the carbon tube stiffener. I'm going to suggest that your original printed plane would benefit from foam printed internal structure (ribs) while keeping it's thin, un-foamed, skin. The internals could therefore be larger with no weight penalty. I really like the idea of printing that sandwich effect though.

[@gregkaris3380]

For the rc models, you could potentially print the shell with foaming PLA and post process filling with expanding foam for increased rigidity

[@westwindsdemon4519]

This is awesome! This material will be revolutionary for the RC community

[@reasonablebeing5392]

Great video. It underscores that we are still learning new and unique ways to utilize 3D printing, especially with filament material.

[@minkorrh]

That's actually an amazing looking finish. Definitely would use that. At the higher temps it has a very realistic high-end metal look.

[@f.d.6667]

I am glad you are mentioning that the technology is not new at all: "Playmobil" has been using the "baking soda" approach since the 70s for some of their "wood" parts. A problem with their recipe was that the compound (probably a PS) develped very sharp and ragged edges after failure. Not ideal in a toy. However, I see a lot of potential in "light", solid infills (handling compression forces), combined with a dense outer shell that is capable of withstanding stress forces, thus replicating structural PUR "integral" foam parts or the way nature has designed bones in mammals.

[@Cyruscosmo]

Printing at a higher temperature with this stuff for lost PLA casting would leave less PLA in the mold to be burned out. I will have to give this stuff a try for sure! Thank you for the info!

[@NeoIsrafil]

Its super neat that the layer lines are basically just...gone. :)

[@JohnRodriguesPhotographer]

I think it has some application as you said using a dual print head. Print the internal structure of the wing with regular pla and then print the skin of the wing with the high temperature foaming pla I think it was at 250° that you found it from the most before you had a diminishing return. I would also experiment with hollow spars in solid regular pla as opposed to printing a solid spar in regular pla. Also look at world war I aircraft and how they spindled parts of the wing to reduce weight in the structure. Spindling was and probably still is a common practice for reducing weight in aircraft structure. Willing to bet even an f-35 has spindling in its structural members. Good luck

[@ProDigit80]

Seems like a good material for boats and submarines. Also for soft padded surfaces, like chair pillows, or other soft parts on miniature models.

[@raytice8964]

Thanks for the great video! Stiffness in a beam generally goes up by the cube of the thickness, so while the same thickness beam in foaming PLA might be a quarter of normal PLA. a same *mass* foamed beam should be about 3x stiffer than normal PLA. As you mentioned, skinning with non foamed PLA would improve it further, as would a spray coat of expoxy.

[@raytice8964]

@@JorgTheElder ...But not as fast as the beam stiffens from added thickness. Try the math, assuming a 44% density and a 25% stiffness for the foam density, and a cube law for stiffness of beam thickness.

[@TobiasHansen]

I really would love to see a full test of the TPU material, especially how the different foaming change shore properties and sealing abilities. Printing very soft membranes and seals with this material is very useful.

[@ericlotze7724]

I was intruiged about foamed plastics and FDM. This is a method i din't think about. I was thinking about a Injection Blow Molding Like Air Injection Nozzle, but the problem is getting the bubbles from larger tubes like IBM to small foam. Will look into solid blow agents.

[@si-sy]

Like the idea of being able to change properties of prints within 1 product/print. Foam infill, stiff joints, foam exterior etc.

[@Inventorsquare]

Interesting bit for calibrating the extrusion multiplier for the change in temperature. That ping sound is nice, this would make a good crank music box.

[@vincentgarcia6630]

I'd love to know about the foam TPU!! I'm curious if it would provide bonus drop protection for all-glass phones in regular TPU phone cases :))

[@peterinpensacola]

Stephen, I enjoy your engineering approach to 3D print tests. It occurs to me that strength to weight is a key parameter for the foamed part vs. fill factor for the unfoamed part. Meaning a test of strength of an unfoamed test hook with a fill factor to match the weight of a foamed test hook. I'd also like to see tests of bond strength of a few common glues, like cyanoacrylate and epoxy. Perhaps print the test hook in 2 parts and bond them before testing.

[@Laffs00]

I swear you guys mentioned this in Jan. during a podcast. Love the vids, love the research. Very practical stuff you present, I use some of your pointers when designing.

[@corneliaxaos2745]

You could maybe use the power panic feature of the prusa to do more "accurate" variable temperature sandwiching. Induce a power panic when you want to change extruder temperature, allow the extruder to cool, and resume printing.. that or some custom g-code to completely stop and let the extruder cool for some time.

[@adamluter]

Stephan. You could use the MMU output of PrusaSlicer and just remove the MMU parts keeping only the wipe tower moves. This should allow you to change “filaments” without needing the the actual MMU. One filament would have the 210c normal extrusion and the second would have the 250c with decreased extrusion.

[@danielherlihy6084]

I think this material may be of most use as infill or structural support. Thanks Stefan. Another great video. Love your work.

[@galacticgamers8705]

I have been using no retracts due to clogging, but I have been using coasting in cura and that has really helped with the stringing.

[@dunichtich100]

16:00 printing the hull of a Part with normal PLA and the internal structure with lightweight PLA will provide more stiffness. The hull provides far far more stiffness because of it's closed shape and it's greater distance to the bending line than the internal material. This is the reason why sandwich structures are so effektive in reducing weight of the part by maintaining stiffness and strength.

[@JeromeDemers]

the dual extruder idea is really sweet idea! This vs carbon fiber rod is interesting. Both have pros and cons.

[@WarbirdFan66]

interresting material, if you have parts that do not need the full strength of normal PLA you can safe a lot of weight in you designs, very usefull for rc- airplane accessories like gear-door, hatches or external tanks and stuff, good video mate

[@N.M.E.]

16:04 You probably know more about this than i do but would one not rather want to print the walls more solid and the infill lighter? Should not most of the forces be transmitted through the "circumference"?

[@thanhavictus]

I'd be interested in controlling for mass. Have them all be the same weight, and then pull them apart. It seems unfair that the unfoamed parts seem to appear stronger but that's only because they have more filament in them, much like having higher infil. It should be a controlled test to determine if the foaming increases or decrease strength

[@moriarteaa4692]

Yeah, but the weight reduction is the core Parameter you are changing, when you choose to use lw Pla. What is the point of printing LW Pla, If you have the Same mass

[@someoldguy22]

Does the material change shape permanently if stressed? Or spring back like a sponge?

[@CNCKitchen]

It springs back as long as you don't load it over it's yield point. All bending specimens sprung back to their original shape besides the last one, that I overloaded.

[@ThompYT]

I think lw pla should be used as infill or any support structures whilst more normal filaments are used for the shape or outside structure! (Or the opposite cause im dumb and not an engineer )

[@bonovoxel7527]

The moment you make them sound is kinda poetic. :)

[@karellen00]

You can also use a thinner nozzle and lay down a larger line for the infill only. Anyway this new kind of filament is really cool!

[@jorgeg0327]

What I have to say has nothing to do with 3D printing but this relates exactly with the argument I give to people about Fluoride in drinking water and why its such a bad idea. Those for fluoride in water argue that it helps prevent cavities since the fluoride bonds to the teeth and give it a nice protective layer. The thing people fail to mention is that this is not targeted and that when you drink it it's not just going to effect your teeth but in fact all your bones in your body. Conclusion: The fluoride will bond to the bones making them more dense but this in fact doesn't mean stronger bones but actually more weaker and brittle bones that break and crack more easily. The reason is the fibrous/porous nature of the bones that give it much of its strength. The above example with the PLA that foams at different temperature is a perfect real world example of this very effect. This is why it's so frustrating that people still advocate for fluoride in water and think those that go against it are some type of crazy person/anti-government conspiracy nut. So much for evidence based science right. This shouldn't be an issue in 2020. RANT: Don't even get me started on the many studies that compared fluoridated water city districts vs fluoridated ones and showed that both have similar result in declined in dental cavities and that fluoride in the drinking water had no effect but instead that increase in public awareness due to education on proper oral hygiene is the reason for declining dental cavities in the last 50 years. I don't mind fluoride in your toothpaste (your not supposed to eat it) but why the *@#% do we still put it in our water.

[@jonathanwever8188]

Sold me on that airplane! I first saw this and have since been working my way towards getting my own rc plane!

[@Mobile_Dom]

i hear this stuff is really easy to sand, can you confirm or deny this?

[@CNCKitchen]

Yes, and also nice to paint because the porosity soaks up the color and it doesn't run along the layer lines as with normal 3D prints.

[@Mobile_Dom]

@@CNCKitchen Ooooooh, now im excited to try some for some prop making, sanding layer lines and soaking up paint? im in

[@TestSpaceMonkey]

​@@CNCKitchen This! I was racking by brain a bit trying to see the unique value of variable porosity over just varying infill, especially given the non-linear losses in strength and remaining layer bonding limitations. That is, not for paint but for providing a light-weight, minimal substrate for epoxy resin-reinforced skin. Anisotropic strength is an issue with FDM-only plane structures but I bet the average porosity will be much more uniform. If this results in more uniform resin absorption then that will address some of the strength/stiffness variability. This could be particularly useful in something like an aircraft where a big portion of the material volume is the skin whose pre-resin-coating weight can now be cut by half. If you haven't already, check out Tech Ingredient's recent videos on epoxies for ideas: kzbin.infosearch?query=epoxy

[@cupbowlspoonforkknif]

Now I'm seeing the potential!

[@UNSCPILOT]

@@CNCKitchen that is a very interesting property, might get some of this to make scale models to go with my Gunpla kits

[@dorianeric]

Very interested in the foaming TPU filament, also great video :)

[@woowooNeedsFaith]

Yes please, do the TPU too. I just don't know what parameters should be measured... I guess comparison with "regular" or non-foamed TPU would be informative enough. With my TPU I wasn't completely happy with layer adhesion nor springiness. *QUESTION:* somewhere in the comments you mention _closed porosity._ Does that mean that a foamed vase would be watertight? The same question would apply to TPU.

[@cupbowlspoonforkknif]

What happens when you hit the outside with a quick blast from a heat gun? Is it like pva foam where the heat seals the outside?

[@KiR_3d]

It's the very interesting material! I see it more like an "engineering" one. It can be used almost anywhere to make lighter "skin" structures or make "sandwiches for different needs. Stephan, it would be cool it you'll test 250C printed "foam PLA" for the case of sound absorbtion.

[@JohnnyForehead]

I think it's cool as hell. I like the composite panel idea. Also could be used to print liners for helmets possibly and other types of protection gear maybe. Brilliant stuff.

[@BandanaDrummer95]

I could see hot end designs potentially changing to allow for a cooling system if filaments with variable properties when printed at varying temperatures become more available.

[@Ucceah]

interresting! but to get the most out of this material, you'd have to vary the density throughout the part, and slicershave yet to adapt to that. for example an airplane wing could be more durable, by printing a hard but paper thin outer shell and ribs, and adding foamed up infill where extra compression strength is required. in this case mostly on the upper side, towards the center. but concidering the heating and cooling times required, dual extrusion would almost be a must. PS: for building air planes, depron covered with packaging tape still mops the floor with anything 3D printed, in terms of stiffness, durability and weight.

[@Andreas-gh6is]

The Prusa Slicer might already support something similar because of the Prusa MMU. Without support in the slicer or very smart postprocessing it would be difficult to vary the temperature within one layer. Maybe it's easier to vary the speed? At a certain critical temperature the speed could influence the actual temperature to change the bubbling.

[@tiagotiagot]

For the wings, maybe you could print the internal structures solid while leaving the surface foamed?

[@matthiasflukiger4866]

I don’t need it, I don’t need it... I NEED IT !!!

[@Laffs00]

Sandy.... WAAAAAAAAAAAAATER!

[@dunichtich100]

You NEEEEED it! 😉

[@davidk8888]

It would be interesting to see if you can couple this idea of open cell prints with your earlier tests of using epoxy/CA glue coatings to improve the strength even further. The pores might soak better and give a more homogenous part. Could also look into using high pressure/vacuum to ensure complete filling of pores

[@InspGadgt]

Interesting...I didn't realize the heat affects the amount of foaming. I've been trying out LW-ASA with not so good results...now I know to go back and try again at lower temps.

[@Louis-te7th]

ok so good news we can actually see a 4th dimension. CNC Kitchen discovered it.

[@LanceThumping]

The coolest thing would be is if they could make this sort of thing filled with carbon fiber caltrops the center of which causes the foaming. That way each bubble in the foam would be held together with carbon fiber to increase the strength with only a slight increase in weight. Probably an impossible level of engineering though. EDIT: It may not be impossible if the blowing agent can be coated in something to stick to carbon fibers, then rolled in the fibers to create microscopic spiked balls. Then when heated the center of the balls release gas and become the center of the bubbles. However getting the fibers to stick evenly and not break apart when the foaming happens would probably be the troublesome parts.

[@MyName-tb9oz]

I'm not an engineer or a model aircraft builder, but I think something you might want to be testing is (I have no idea what the technical term is, off the top of my head...) how much strength the part loses when it's flexed repeatedly. I'm sure that, for something like TPU, that's not going to be anything like the foaming PLA. But, and I'm only guessing from what I saw when you were flexing the foamed PLA parts, it looks a lot like the foamed PLA can hold up to repeated flexing a LOT better than any other kind of PLA. Maybe... Which is why I'm wondering about it. ;-)

[@amrfwws]

FDM getting better every day, so competitive. I don't believe it would "vanished" from the market one day because it will just getting better!

[@riakata]

It would be interesting to see how well this works as an easier to remove/sand off support.

[@kensparkes1712]

I wonder if you could increase the strength by increasing the infill so that the weight ends up being the same. You would see an increase in print time but if you kept the weight and amount of filament used the same. You should have more contact surface area and more internal structure. Although crack propagation and stress concentration locations should remain the same. What do you think?

[@Hurricane31337]

Seems like 220°C or even 217° is the sweet spot if you just want to get an SLS-like matte finish without loosing too much stiffness.

[@DanielSMatthews]

You don't need the extruder to control the foaming, that is just required for controlling the melting and deposition rate, the foaming could be modulated with a laser. Engineer that correctly and have CAD that lets you expressly design with the resulting metamaterial properties then you will have outstanding results.

[@cristopherpolzl]

I would really like to see if by any chance the more foamy bits could have a significant heat exchange coefficient difference! It would be very cool to have a heat isolant material for us to print practical parts that deal with that nature.

[@gonun69]

That stuff would be great for tiny whoop parts! Or FPV drones in general. Any reduction in weight is worth a try. Please do the Varioshore TPU too, there are a lot of drone frames that use TPU parts and a more lightweight option could be really interesting.

[@Chlorate299]

it'd be interesting to try and vary the nozzle temperature during a print so that the infill lines are foamed but the walls are not, or less foamed. I imagine you'd need to print something like a priming tower between the two temperature switches though to purge the nozzle each time.

[@SgtStinger]

This material would benefit from a print head that could cool itself. Adding a skin of non foamed PLA on the perimeter would greatly increase the part strength without adding too much to the weight.

[@Sky-._]

This seems like a great option to lower the waste of lost play casting.

[@bradley3549]

I wonder if a foamed part like this could be effectively through impregnated with resin using a vacuum.

[@Tony_Goat]

You know, a toucan beak is extremely strong, and it has a foam structure inside of a thin, pliable skin. What if we used a two filament printer and used normal PLA as the perimeter and the LWPLA or TPU as the infill at 100%?

[@iskandartaib]

Hmm... I wasn't aware of this, some friends came across the eSun PLA-LW a few days ago. It seems to have the same property - density depends on printing temperature.

[@Buchsbaumschere]

Why are infill, top and bottom layers usually printed under 45 degrees? In a cartesian printer it would be easier to print 0 (90) degrees to the axis as only one needs to move at any move. Those 45 degrees may be useful in coreXY (?) printers where a single motor moves both axis.

[@SpookyBoson]

Just what I needed: a filament that can print at different densities

[@GoldenSlothRacing]

I wonder how it would hold up to epoxy curing on it, could make a great core material for CF/FG parts.

[@treyhenrichsen]

Could you compare parts of the same mass, but different density? By decreasing the mass, you should be able to make thicker parts, which may increase overall strength, particularly in bending and buckling. It might only work if the external dimensions of the part are larger.

[@Cephalon_Shade]

What about using this filament as infil and regular pla as the shells? This would be stronger than the foam pla, but lighter than just pure regular pla. Could be used in drones, planes or other things that need lightness and stiffness.

[@Crushonius]

If it truly foams up it would be very interesting to see if it could be infused with resin to make it really strong similar how composite boats are being made the core is made out of a foam and the outside skin is carbon fiber this composite material the gets vacuum infused with resin and becomes ridiculously strong and is still lighter than GRP

[@lopu4991]

Very intresting! The tpu is even more strange. Please make a video about it

[@ArrowRaider]

At extrusion multiplier of 1, my ColorFabb LW-PLA reaches maximum foaming at 227 degrees and then the expansion ratio plummets from there. The maximum I can get one 0.4 nozzle perimeter to reach is 0.83mm. I'm not seeing these claims of 3x expansion.

[@MAMorelli]

This feels like one of those things that has many unforeseen uses. Right now, however, aside from the insulating properties, I’m wondering what uses this could have, especially given the fact that it’s still PLA. 3D printing already allows for a lot of air in between the walls of a part so it’s already really insulating. I’ve actually printed a few bottle/soda can holders and they work really well at keeping your drink cold because they’re double-walled.