Flame Retardant Plastic 3D Printing

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Flame Retardant Plastic 3D Printing involves the use of specialized materials that are designed to resist or slow down the spread of fire, making them ideal for applications where safety and fire resistance are critical. These materials are often used in industries such as electronics, aerospace, automotive, and construction, where parts must meet stringent safety standards for fire resistance.

What 3D Printed Plastics are Flame Retardant to UL94-V0 or FAR 25.853?

What makes a plastic flame retardant?

Flame retardant and self-extinguishing criteria are essential flammability standards used by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), automotive, and consumer product industries. These standards typically require material samples to meet specific burn specifications, where the flame must extinguish within a set timeframe or before a designated amount of the material is consumed.

The UL-94 standard categorizes flammability performance, with UL-94 V ratings assessing vertical burn characteristics and UL-94 HB evaluating horizontal burn behavior. Many 3D-printed plastics are rated UL-94 HB, representing the lowest level of flammability performance. Materials passing FAR 25.853 or achieving UL-94 V-0 or V-1 ratings are considered “flame-retardant plastics” suitable for final applications.

V-0

Vertical samples extinguish within 10 seconds without flaming drips.

V-1

Vertical samples extinguish within 30 seconds without flaming drips.

V-2

Vertical samples extinguish within 30 seconds but may produce flaming drips.

Horizontal samples burn at a slow rate or self-extinguish, offering the least flame resistance.

What 3D Printed Plastics Pass 49 CFR 571.302?

49 CFR 571.302, commonly referred to as FMVSS 302, is a safety standard that measures the burn resistance of materials used in the interior compartments of motor vehicles. This regulation applies to passenger cars, multipurpose vehicles, buses, and trucks. Several materials utilized in the HP Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing process meet the requirements of this standard. For detailed information about the materials and the test methodology, refer to the linked document. Below is a table highlighting the materials that comply with FMVSS 302, along with links to their respective data sheets for further details.

Material Name	Flammability Standard Passed	Material Data Sheet
HP 3D High Reusability PA 11	49 CFR 571.302	PA 11 Data Sheet
HP 3D High Reusability PA 12	49 CFR 571.302	PA 12 Data Sheet
HP 3D High Reusability PA 12 Glass Beads	49 CFR 571.302	PA 12 GB Data Sheet
BASF Ultrasint™ TPU01	49 CFR 571.302	TPU01 Data Sheet

FAR 25.853 versus UL-94 Flammability Ratings

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) defines flammability standards in its UL-94 guidelines, which categorize materials based on their performance in flame tests. The highest rating, UL-94 V-0, indicates that a material self-extinguishes quickly without producing flaming drips. In contrast, UL-94 HB represents the lowest level of flame resistance, where materials burn at a slow rate (e.g., under 40 mm/min) and may not self-extinguish.

Materials that meet UL flammability standards often also comply with FAR 25.853, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulation for cabin and cargo materials. The FAR 25.853 60-second burn test requires materials to withstand 60 seconds of direct flame exposure. To pass, the specimen must stop burning within 15 seconds after flame removal, with any drips extinguishing in less than 3 seconds. Additionally, no more than six inches of the material can burn during the test.

While both standards are used to evaluate flame-retardant materials, the FAR certification is particularly critical for identifying materials suitable for aerospace and aviation applications.

What 3D Printed Plastics Comply With UL94-HB?

UL94-HB Rated 3D Printed Plastics

Material Name	Printing Process	Material Data Sheet
ABS-M30	Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)	ABS-M30 Data Sheet
ABS-ESD7	Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)	ABS-ESD7 Data Sheet
ABSi	Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)	ABSi Data Sheet
ASA	Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)	ASA Data Sheet
Nylon 12 (FDM)	Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)	Nylon 12 (FDM) Data Sheet
PC-ABS	Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)	PC-ABS Data Sheet
PC	Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)	PC Data Sheet
PC-ISO	Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)	PC-ISO Data Sheet
RPU 70	Carbon DLS	RPU 70 Data Sheet
EPX 82	Carbon DLS	EPX 82 Data Sheet
Nylon 12 (SLS)	Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)	Nylon 12 (SLS) Data Sheet
Nylon 12, Glass-filled (GF)	Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)	Nylon 12 GF Data Sheet
xCERAMIC3280	Lubricant Sublayer Photo-curing (LSPc®)	xCERAMIC3280 Data Sheet

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