3D Printing
News Videos Newsletter Contact us
Home / News / Hexcel Launches HexPEKK SLS Material with EM Shielding and Radar Absorption
qidi

Hexcel Launches HexPEKK SLS Material with EM Shielding and Radar Absorption

September 30, 2020

Hexcel, an advanced materials supplier, has recently launched HexPEKK EM, formulated specifically to meet the static electricity management, electromagnetic shielding, and radiation absorption requirements of advanced aircraft applications.

This high-performance carbon fiber-blended PEKK material is specially engineered to be used in commercial aerospace, defense, and military aircraft. PEKK is a very robust material and carbon fiber makes parts stiffer and lighter, so beyond its anti-static and radar absorbing qualities, HexPEKK is also chemically resistant, temperature resilient, incredibly strong, and lightweight, all important traits for aerospace applications.

The management of static electricity dissipation, electromagnetic interference, and radiation absorption is extremely important in the design of all air vehicles. The introduction of this advanced additive manufacturing material will enable the fabrication of extremely complex aerostructures with unparalleled structural and electrical functionality. It significantly reduces weight and cost while providing unlimited design flexibility. Lawrence Varholak, Vice President of Additive Manufacturing at Hexcel

Hexcel expects to see the novel material used in commercial and military airplanes, drones, and helicopters on exterior surfaces and leading edges, electronics enclosures, air inlets, and the structures of cockpits. Because the parts don’t have to go through post processes of coatings to get their unique EM characteristics, they come out of the printer flight-ready and can be instantly installed. HexPEKK is designed to be used in Selective Laser Sintering, which further removes post processing because that technology does not require the use of support pillars. The significant reductions in the time for manufacturing and post processing make the material more cost effective than traditional parts. PBF parts are also isotropic, meaning they’re equally strong in all directions.

These kinds of materials are critical for aerospace components because their sensors and communication equipment are so sensitive that any surge in voltage caused by radiation leakage can cause interference and errors in their readings. The electrical conductivity of HexPEKK allows it to absorb and discharge those surges to protect the functionality of the equipment. Of course, being able to 3D print such a material in highly complex geometries for an industry where geometric complexity is the norm is a huge value add.

electrically conductive polymer composites for 3d printing
Related Story
Electrically Conductive Polymer Composites for 3D Printing
Share:
WhatsApp Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Buffer Reddit E-mail
About the author | Cameron Naramore
Cameron is a 3D printer and CNC operator. He's fond of cooking, traveling, and science fiction.
Join our newsletter

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

Latest posts

Scottish Maritime Project Shows Promise for 3D Printed Ship Components

A Scottish project using large-scale additive manufacturing for shipbuilding components has completed its second phase, demonstrating potential benefits for the maritime industry. The... read more »

News
Scottish Maritime Project Shows Promise for 3D Printed Ship Components

Navy Maintenance Center Uses 3D Printing to Replace Destroyer Pump Component at Fraction of Conventional Cost

The Southeast Regional Maintenance Center (SERMC) has successfully used 3D printing to manufacture a replacement cooling rotor for an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile... read more »

Military
Navy Maintenance Center Uses 3D Printing to Replace Destroyer Pump Component at Fraction of Conventional Cost

Rapid Fusion Launches AI Assistant for Large-Format 3D Printers

British manufacturer Rapid Fusion has introduced "Bob," an AI-powered assistant designed to optimize operations for its large-format 3D printing systems. The company developed... read more »

News
Rapid Fusion Launches AI Assistant for Large-Format 3D Printers

Creality Submits IPO Prospectus for Hong Kong Stock Exchange Listing

Shenzhen-based 3D printer manufacturer Creality has submitted a prospectus to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange for a main board listing. The company began... read more »

News
Creality Submits IPO Prospectus for Hong Kong Stock Exchange Listing

Graphjet Technology Partners with Malaysian University on 3D-Printed Heat Sink Development

Graphjet Technology has entered into a collaboration agreement with the Centre for Materials Engineering and Smart Manufacturing (MERCU) at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).... read more »

News
Graphjet Technology Partners with Malaysian University on 3D-Printed Heat Sink Development

Humtown drives US Manufacturing Comeback with Additive Sand Casting

Humtown Products, an Ohio-based company, is positioning itself to serve manufacturers looking to bring production back to the United States. The company specializes... read more »

News
Humtown drives US Manufacturing Comeback with Additive Sand Casting

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Releases Advanced Dataset for 3D Printing Quality Monitoring

Oak Ridge National Laboratory has released a comprehensive dataset for its Peregrine software, which monitors and analyzes parts created through powder bed additive... read more »

News
Oak Ridge National Laboratory Releases Advanced Dataset for 3D Printing Quality Monitoring

Creality Expands Flagship Lineup with K2 and K2 Pro 3D Printers

Creality has announced the launch of the K2 and K2 Pro, two new additions to its high-end K series. Built on a rigid... read more »

3D Printers
Creality Expands Flagship Lineup with K2 and K2 Pro 3D Printers

Farsoon and Stark Future Complete KLINGA Project, Producing Over 1,000 Titanium Parts

Farsoon Europe GmbH and Stark Future have completed the KLINGA Project, a collaborative engineering initiative that produced more than 1,000 titanium parts using... read more »

3D Printing Metal
Farsoon and Stark Future Complete KLINGA Project, Producing Over 1,000 Titanium Parts

Swiss Steel Group’s Ugitech Introduces Custom Wire for 3D Metal Printing

Swiss Steel Group and its French subsidiary Ugitech have launched UGIWAM wire, a new product designed for wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM). The... read more »

3D Printing Metal
Swiss Steel Group's Ugitech Introduces Custom Wire for 3D Metal Printing

Social

  • Facebook Facebook 3D Printing
  • Linkedin Linkedin 3D Printing
Join our newsletter

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Fashion
  • Medical
  • Military
  • QIDI Tech Q1 Pro

    • - Print size: 245 x 245 x 245 mm
    • - 600mm/s max speed
    More details »
    $449.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • QIDI Tech X-Max 3

    • - Print size: 325 x 325 x 315 mm
    • - fully enclosed
    More details »
    $799.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • Snapmaker Artisan Premium 3-in-1

    • - Print size: 400 x 400 x 400 mm
    • - comes with enclosure
    More details »
    $2,999.00 Snapmaker
    Buy Now
  • QIDI Plus4

    • - Print size: 305 x 305 x 280 mm
    • - print temperature of 370°C
    More details »
    $799.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now

Company Information

  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing

Blog

  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal

Featured Reviews

  • Anycubic Photon Mono M5s
  • Creality Ender 5 S1
  • The Mole 3D Scanner
  • Flashforge Creator 3 Pro

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
2025 — Strikwerda en Dehue
  • Home
  • Join our mailing list
  • Contact us
Blog
  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal
Featured Industries
  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
Company Information
  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing