Innovative GF-PET compound delivers dimensional accuracy, thermal stability, and accessible shape compensation data for high-performance tooling applications
Techmer PM, a materials innovation company delivering advanced composites for additive manufacturing, has announced the commercial release of HiFill® GF-PET, a glass-filled polyethylene terephthalate material system engineered for 3D printing intermediate-temperature autoclave tooling. Tailored for use up to 250°F (121°C), this material offers a cost-effective alternative that bridges the gap between low-temperature and high-temperature thermoplastic material systems.
As industries push toward more efficient and scalable composite part production, manufacturers face limited material choices for tooling that must perform reliably under autoclave conditions without exceeding budget constraints. The HiFill GF-PET fills this gap, delivering thermal stability and dimensional accuracy at an accessible cost, making it ideal for intermediate temperature tooling applications needed in the marine, automotive, wind, and aerospace industries. Techmer PM designed the system to meet the needs of manufacturers seeking both performance and affordability.
Designed for large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM), HiFill GF-PET provides low and consistent thermal expansion and is supported by a dataset needed for tool shape compensation with ADDITIVE3D (Figure 1), a comprehensive physics-based virtual twin developed at the Composites Manufacturing and Simulation Center at Purdue University. This enables users to anticipate dimensional changes during post-processing and autoclave cycling, improving the precision and repeatability of printed tools. The collaboration reflects Techmer PM’s commitment to pairing material innovation with advanced simulation data.
“HiFill GF-PET addresses a persistent challenge in the additive tooling space—a cost-effective material with dimensional and thermal stability for tooling with operating temperatures of up to 250°F (121°C),” said Jenna Hunt, Business Manager of Engineered Compounds for Additive Manufacturing at Techmer PM. “By pairing this material with the dataset required for tool shape compensation, characterized by the Purdue team, we provide engineers with the tools to design with confidence, achieving the tolerances required for high-performance composite part production. At the same time, we’re offering a material that fits both the performance and cost profile needed for intermediate-temperature applications.”
HiFill GF-PET’s mechanical properties and thermal expansion behavior have been characterized across print orientations and temperature ranges. When combined with the simulation capabilities of ADDITIVE3D, this data enables accurate tool shape compensation by accounting for anisotropic behavior and directional effects inherent to the additive process. ADDITIVE3D is available to members of the CAMS consortium at Purdue University.
Center Street Technologies played a key role in testing HiFill GF-PET, validating its performance in real-world tooling applications. “Glass-filled polyester (PET) offers a unique combination of strength, stiffness, and heat resistance I need for printing parts for structural and tooling applications, without resorting to more exotic engineering resins,” said Bob Berardino, Senior Materials Engineer at Center Street Technologies. “The print quality is excellent, the material machinable to final tolerances, and the parts are sturdy and dimensionally stable. This balance of mechanical properties, processing performance, and affordability makes it a worthy addition to my materials portfolio provided by Techmer PM.”
Purdue University echoed the significance of the material’s capabilities. “The material card developed for tool shape compensation with HiFill GF-PET’s unlocks new levels of precision and reliability in additive tooling; powered through simulation-driven design with our virtual twin ADDITIVE3D,” said Eduardo Barocio, Ph. D, Director, Additive Manufacturing and CAMS Consortium. “This material system exemplifies the kind of innovation that bridges practical manufacturing needs with advanced science and engineering, which is why we value partners like Techmer PM.”
The material is now commercially available, and Techmer PM is actively partnering with OEMs and service providers for expanded tooling trials. Technical documentation, processing guidelines, and data for shape compensation are available upon request.
For more information about HiFill GF-PET or to request sample material and design data, contact globalmarketing@techmerpm.com.
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