Finntip - "indestructible" nozzle for FDM / FFF 3D printers, with a ceramic coating - 3DPC

TRD Surfaces, a Danish startup, established at the Danish University of Technology, created fibtip – a nozzle for FDM / FFF 3D printers, coated with a ceramic coating. Thanks to the use of chromium carbide in the coating process, fibtip nozzles are characterized by unprecedented durability, regardless of the type of printed filament, minimizing the adhesion of material residues inside or on the edges, which reduces the risk of clogging and remarkable thermal conductivity. Fibtip nozzles are compatible with the vast majority of amateur and desktop 3D printers on the market, including Creality, Anycubic, Prusa, Ultimaker and MakerBot.

TRD Surfaces specializes in steel hardening and surface coating. This technology was originally developed at the Danish University of Technology. In the case of fibtip, the same method was used, but with the use of a ceramic coating – previously this technique was successfully used, inter alia, in large MAN ES diesel engines and industrial water jets.

Initially, the TRD Surfaces team was looking for the possibility of creating print nozzles that would deal with highly abrasive filaments, doped with e.g. carbon fiber or glass balls. Initially, attempts were made to use tool steel only for this purpose, but due to its insufficient thermal conductivity, it was decided to cover its coating with ceramics. The surface of the fibtip nozzles is made of chromium carbide and has twice the thermal conductivity of brass, and also surpasses tungsten carbide in this respect. Even though the coating layer is very thin, it still contributes greatly to the heat transfer through the nozzle.

In the event that the remnants of the printed material adhere to the surface of the nozzle (e.g. due to a failed 3D printing), they are very easy to remove. The chromium carbide surface has a unique non-stick property, which makes cleaning the nozzle much easier and minimizes the build-up of debris inside the nozzle. The inside of the fibtip nozzles is also ceramic coated, so it has non-stick properties, reducing the risk of clogging.