Additive manufacturing
Diamond nozzle sets new milestone in additive manufacturing
3D printer nozzle DIANOZ
Additive manufacturing is becoming increasingly important in the industrial environment. This relatively new manufacturing process has already become indispensable in areas such as prototype construction, aerospace and the medical sector. 3D printing opens up new possibilities: More freedom in design, faster product development and easier production of customised individual parts are just a small selection of all the benefits of additive manufacturing.
Diamond ends nozzle wear
The most common 3D printing technology is fused deposition modelling, or FDM for short. In this process, molten material is applied to a printing plate in layers via a nozzle. The printer nozzle acts as the tool of the printer and is one of the most wear-prone parts of the 3D printer. The diamond-tipped printer nozzle DIANOZ from Gühring is now changing that.
Your benefits with the DIANOZ nozzle
As the hardest natural material in the world, diamond offers the best wear protection – also as an insert on the nozzle tip. At the same time, it conducts heat excellently, which ensures uniform material extrusion and even surfaces. No other material can combine these two properties so well, which is why the DIANOZ nozzle is reinforced with a synthetic diamond. These artificially produced diamonds, also known as polycrystalline diamonds or PCD for short, have identical chemical and physical properties and are in no way inferior to natural gemstones in terms of hardness and thermal conductivity.
- problem-free printing of demanding materials such as glass or carbon fibre-reinforced plastics as well as ceramic or metal-filled materials and high-temperature filaments
- large components and high quantities possible without changing nozzles in 24/7 printing operation
- one nozzle for all materials – “always on nozzle”
- high thermal conductivity ensures even filament flow and smooth surfaces
- filament channel optimised for friction supports even material extrusion
- ironing surface on the nozzle tip smoothes the print surface
- no print interruptions due to nozzle changes
- uniform layer thickness without wear-related readjustment
- reliable temperature setting
- repurchase fewer nozzles
- reduced labour costs for maintenance and nozzle changes
- printing at lower temperatures reduces energy costs
DIANOZ: flexible, precise, durable
The 3D printing nozzle with the black diamond
The new 3D printing nozzle is available with a flexible choice of nozzle shapes and a comprehensive range of common variants. Special shapes are available on request. The unique ironing surface ensures a smooth component surface during printing. Our friction-optimised filament channel is available in diameter sizes 0.2 / 0.4 / 0.6 / 0.8 and 1 mm. The centrepiece of this nozzle is made of black diamond, which optimally conducts heat and offers the best protection against wear. The coated body effectively protects against wear during the entire printing process.
3D printer nozzles
The differences
Nozzles are usually made of brass or hardened steel. Ruby nozzles have a tip made of ruby (corundum). They differ primarily in their resistance to wear and thermal conductivity. The most suitable 3D printing nozzle depends on the filament used and the stress it will be subjected to.
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3D printer nozzle | Brass nozzle | Steel nozzle | Ruby nozzle | Diamond nozzle DIANOZ |
| Description | The brass nozzle is particularly popular for printing soft plastics such as PLA | Nozzles made of steel or hardened steel withstand wear and tear longer than brass nozzles, but are inferior to them in terms of thermal conductivity | Nozzles studded with rubies protect the tip from wear. However, the synthetic gemstones have heat-insulating properties. | Diamonds are not only among the hardest materials in the world, they also have excellent heat-conducting properties. This combination characterises the world’s only patent-pending diamond nozzle DIANOZ. |
| Heat conductivity | high | moderate | low | very high |
| Wear resistance | low – not suitable for abrasive materials | moderate | high | very high |
| Heat resistance | low (up to 300° C) | high (up to 500° C) | high (up to 550° C) | high (up to 550° C) |
Print without worries
Even the best 3D printer won’t help with the wrong nozzle
Unclean surfaces, incorrect printing temperature, levelling up – these are common problems with printer nozzles that weaken quickly or do not conduct heat well. Choosing the right nozzle is therefore crucial for a smooth printing process and high print quality.
Hardness [H/V]
1 = brass, 2 = ruby (corundum), 3 = hardened steel, 4 = diamond
Wear-prone nozzles disrupt the printing process
Worn nozzle tips lead to inferior print results and unclean surfaces. The reason: the nozzle spacing to the print bed changes due to the wear on the nozzle, which can only be compensated for by time-consuming readjustment. If the worn out nozzle is completely replaced, the process often has to be interrupted because the parameters have changed after the nozzle replacement, resulting in fluctuations in the quality of the result. With DIANOZ, you no longer have this problem: the diamond nozzle is 3x harder than ruby (corundum).
Thermal conductivity [W/(m*K)]
1 = brass, 2 = ruby (corundum), 3 = hardened steel, 4 = diamond
Heat-insulating nozzles reduce process reliability
Printer nozzles with low thermal conductivity often have the disadvantage that the set temperature differs from the actual temperature at the tip. This results in an uneven filament flow, which in turn leads to unclean, rough surfaces at the component. Accurate, process-reliable printing is hardly possible with such heat-insulating nozzles. Your only option to compensate for the insulating effect is to increase the printing temperature by up to 15°C – which unfortunately also increases your energy consumption. Another option is to use DIANOZ, which is four times more thermally conductive than brass nozzles.
3D printing
A nozzle for abrasive filaments and high-temperature printing
Today, there is already a wide range of printable materials. Which filament is most suitable depends primarily on the function and application of the component. The plastics most commonly printed material is PLA, short for polylactide. This is a biodegradable plastic made from renewable raw materials such as corn starch or sugar cane. PLA is cost-effective, easy to process and harmless to health. With DIANOZ, you can print everything from PLA, carbon fibres and PEEK to metal and ceramic-filled materials.
Professional 3D printing often involves the use of more sophisticated materials. With the DIANOZ nozzle, for example, these materials can be printed without any problems:
- ABS
- ASA
- CPE
- Glass fibre filled filaments
- HDPE
- HIPS
- ceramic-filled filaments
- Carbon fibre filled filaments
- LDPE
- metal-filled filaments
- PA
- PBT
- PC
- PC-ABS
- PCL
- PCTG
- PEEK
- PEI
- PET-G
- PLA
- PMMA
- POM
- PP
- PPSU
- PS
- PVA
- PVDF
- TPE
Nozzle diameter and layer height
Printer nozzles are available with different diameters. The nozzle diameter affects both the surface quality and the printing speed. With small diameters, less material is extruded, allowing finer structures to be printed. They are therefore particularly suitable for intricate, detailed print objects. If printing speed is the main priority and component quality is secondary, larger nozzle diameters are more suitable. The nozzle diameter also limits the minimum and maximum layer height. With a standard 0.4 mm nozzle, the recommended minimum layer height is 0.1 mm and the maximum is 0.3 mm. The following rule of thumb helps to determine the correct layer height:
Minimum layer height = 0.25 * nozzle diameter
Maximum layer height = 0.75 * nozzle diameter
Which nozzle size is suitable for what?
- Ø 0.2 mm for detailed, particularly fine-resolution prints
- Ø 0.4 mm for all common prints, good compromise between detail and print speed
- Ø 0.6 mm for higher print throughput and to reduce the risk of nozzle clogging with filaments containing short fibres
- Ø 0.8 mm for maximum material throughput, especially for coarser and correspondingly faster prints
Why is it not possible to select the layer height equal to the nozzle diameter?
To ensure reliable layer adhesion, the extruded filament – viewed in cross-section – must be discharged as an oval strand. If the nozzle diameter corresponds to the layer height, this is not guaranteed and the individual layers do not adhere optimally to each other.
What else should be considered for the nozzle diameter?
The larger the nozzle diameter, the higher the flow rates. Accordingly, more filament must be melted in a shorter time and this is only possible with a correspondingly more powerful heating block or hot end.
Which nozzle diameter is suitable for what?
The size of the outlet diameter depends on the surface requirements and the desired printing time. Ø 0.4 mm nozzles are commonly used for everyday printing with different filaments. As soon as you start working with filaments containing short fibres, we recommend switching to nozzles with Ø ≥ 0.6 mm.
Why does the nozzle of a 3D printer clog?
The short fibres in filaments are randomly distributed throughout the filament strand. This can cause local fibre accumulations to build up in the tapered exit area of the nozzle and clog it. Other possible causes of nozzle clogging include selecting the wrong printing parameters, material carbonisation or residues from previously printed filaments with a higher melting point.
Which materials can be printed using the FDM process?
What are abrasive materials or abrasive filaments?
Abrasive materials have a comparatively high abrasive effect and put a lot of strain on the printer nozzle. They usually consist of a base filament that is enriched with additional particles or fibres. Glass, ceramic and metal-filled thermoplastics as well as carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastics are examples of abrasive filaments. High-temperature filaments can also be assigned to this category.
The fused layer process
What is behind FDM, FFF, FLM and MEX
The most common 3D printing process is the fused deposition process. Similar to a hot glue gun, material is heated and dispensed in molten mould. In the fused layer process, the print material is typically wire-shaped and wound onto a spindle. This so-called filament is melted in the printer’s hotend system and applied to a flat surface, the print bed. Layer by layer, a three-dimensional print object is created. If a component has overhangs, additional support structures are printed, which stabilise the component during the printing process and are then removed again.
The extrusion process has many different names in the 3D printing world. Here are the most common abbreviations and their meanings:
FDM = Fused Deposition Modelling
FFF = Fused Filament Fabrication
FLM = Fused Layer Modelling
MEX = Material Extrusion
Gühring goes additive
From diamond tool to the diamond nozzle
Ever since the invention of modern tool coating, Gühring’s industry-changing pioneering work has been undisputed: In 1981, Gühring developed the first TiN-coated twist drill – a milestone for machining technology. The coated tools drastically reduce manufacturing costs and become the benchmark for the entire industry.
The design and manufacturing of customised diamond-tipped tools has also been one of the core competencies of the Swabian company for over 40 years. PCD tools – short for polycrystalline diamond – have become indispensable in many industries, such as the automotive field, where high-precision machining operations, reproducible processes and durable tools are essential. With DIANOZ, diamond is now also finding its way into the world of additive manufacturing, setting a new milestone in FFF technology.
NewsroomOrder your DIANOZ nozzle now
Aviation
Gühring on the rise in aircraft construction
Automotive
The best concepts for the mobility sector
Mould & die
Moulding the future with tools from Gühring
