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Can 3D Printed Plastics Really Replace Metal?Can 3D Printed Plastics Really Replace Metal?

This video explores the possibilities of using plastics such as PEEK instead of metal.

Rob Spiegel

June 30, 2022

1 Min Read
PEEK.jpeg
Image courtesy of Evonik

We found a helpful discussion about using high-temperature 3D printing thermoplastics like PEEK and ULTEM as alternatives to metal.

A recent article in PlasticsToday showed how plastic gears molded of Vestakeep polyetheretherketone (PEEK) from Evonik are being used in automobile transmissions reportedly for the first time. To replace metal gears, Evonik developed a PEEK molding compound with the tribological properties and durability that can withstand the harsh environment of internal combustion engines. The component is manufactured by IMS Gear SE & Co KGaA and is used by Mercedes-Benz AG in various models.

 

About the Author

Rob Spiegel

Rob Spiegel serves as a senior editor for Design News. He started with Design News in 2002 as a freelancer covering sustainability issues, including the transistion in electronic components to RoHS compliance. Rob was hired by Design News as senior editor in 2011 to cover automation, manufacturing, 3D printing, robotics, AI, and more.

Prior to his work with Design News, Rob worked as a senior editor for Electronic News and Ecommerce Business. He served as contributing editolr to Automation World for eight years, and he has contributed to Supply Chain Management Review, Logistics Management, Ecommerce Times, and many other trade publications. He is the author of six books on small business and internet commerce, inclluding Net Strategy: Charting the Digital Course for Your Company's Growth.

He has been published in magazines that range from Rolling Stone to True Confessions.

Rob has won a number of awards for his technolloghy coverage, including a Maggy Award for a Design News article on the Jeep Cherokee hacking, and a Launch Team award for Ecommerce Business. Rob has also won awards for his leadership postions in the American Marketing Association and SouthWest Writers.

Before covering technology, Rob spent 10 years as publisher and owner of Chile Pepper Magazine, a national consumer food publication. He has published hundreds of poems and scores of short stories in national publications.

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