Centaur PP | FormFutura
Centaur PP is a high-performance filament made from Polypropylene (PP) that is designed to offer a unique set of material properties. It is lightweight, with a material density of just 0.9 g/cc, and is engineered to have excellent mechanical properties and superb interlayer adhesion. Centaur PP is suitable for a wide range of applications, from 3D printing dishwasher-proof and microwave-safe household items to creating functional engineering objects with great endurance properties. It is also food contact compliant in its natural variant, watertight when printed with single wall prints, and has great elastic properties, allowing it to be stretched up to more than 600% before breaking. In addition, Centaur PP has a Shore hardness of D50, improved wear, abrasion, and fatigue resistance, and high chemical resistance.
Technical informations
Thermal properties | |
| Vicat softening temperature | 103 °C |
Filament properties | |
| Country of origin | Netherland |
| Filament density | 0.9 g/mm3 |
| Diameter tolerance | 0.05 mm |
| Hardness (shore) | 50D |
| Recommended adhesive | Magigoo Pro PP - Adhesive for Polypropylene (PP) |
Spool weight and dimensions |
How to store filaments
Humidity and UV light can decrease the filament quality and weaken its mechanical properties. We strongly recommend storing open filaments in a dry and dark place. You can find a complete guide on how to properly store your filament here
Where to throw print fails and supports?
We kindly ask our customers to cope with plastic waste responsibly. Failed prints, support material, rafts, or brims should be liquidated according to the local guidelines. Paradoxically, in most cases, it is better to throw this waste in the regular trash can, as most of the material waste created in 3D printing is not identified, which causes more problems than benefits in the waste sorting facilities.
Centaur PP | FormFutura
Centaur PP is a high-performance filament made from Polypropylene (PP) that is designed to offer a unique set of material properties. It is lightweight, with a material density of just 0.9 g/cc, and is engineered to have excellent mechanical properties and superb interlayer adhesion. Centaur PP is suitable for a wide range of applications, from 3D printing dishwasher-proof and microwave-safe household items to creating functional engineering objects with great endurance properties. It is also food contact compliant in its natural variant, watertight when printed with single wall prints, and has great elastic properties, allowing it to be stretched up to more than 600% before breaking. In addition, Centaur PP has a Shore hardness of D50, improved wear, abrasion, and fatigue resistance, and high chemical resistance.
VIDEO
General information about FLEX :
Flexible materials can be tricky for beginners, with the filament going out somewhere in the middle of the extruder, extreme stringing, or adhesion issues. It’s also easy to get confused by their names and their hardness. For example, Shore 80A is softer than Shore 40D and Shore 40D is harder than Shore 20D. To make things simple: Shore A is used to measure softer stuff Shore D is used to measure harder stuff.
There are various types of different flexible materials available: NinjaFlex, PolyFlex, RubberJet, TPA, TPC, TPE, TPU, PP, Soft PLA, PEBA and the list goes on... The most common two are:
- TPE - thermoplastic elastomers
- TPU - thermoplastic polyurethane.
Less common flexible materials are thermoplastic copolyester (TPC), thermoplastic polyamide (TPA), and then the arguably flexible materials like PP (Polypropylen) and Soft PLA, a purposely weakened version of PLA. Regarding NinjaFlex, PolyFlex, RubberJet, and so on, these are just fancy commercial names to stand out, but in most cases are TPU or TPE.
Printability of flexible filament
Printing with flexible filaments can be challenging at first, but there are a few tips that can drastically increase your print success rate. For successful printing with soft & flexible filaments, please follow the following tips:
- Start your journey with flexible filaments with a harder, less soft material.
- Decrease your printing speed. Start with 10 mm/s and slowly increase the printing speed up to 30 mm/s
- Turn off completely retractions. Retractions don't work with flexible filaments as they only stretch the filaments in the extruder and lead to inconsistent extruding pressure.
- Use as a bed adhesive regular office tape/scotch. As basic office tape is made from PP (polypropylene), it reacts perfectly with most flexible materials creating the perfect base material. If you're following this tip, it should not be even necessary to heat the hotbed.
- If you're having adhesion issues, make sure to addopt a specialized adhesives for flexible filaments, like Magigoo Pro Flex.
Some flexible filaments show lower adhesion to conventional 3D-printing build surfaces and a high tendency to warp. Others tend to stick too well to bare 3D printing surfaces such as glass and PEI.
Tips: For larger prints and filaments with a high shrinkage rate, a 20 mm brim is recommended. In cases of excess adhesion, it is recommended to wet print bed with a small amount of water, slowly apply it below the part, this should make the part removal easier.
Flexible filaments are not compatible with long bowden extruders as their flexibility makes an uneven pressure in the extrusion mechanism.
Mechanical and thermal properties of flexible filaments
Thermoplastic rubbers exist as co-polymers or a polymer blend, generally of a plastic and a rubber. This imparts both thermoplastic and elastomeric properties. As a result, these materials have the advantage of being able to stretch to moderate elongations and return to their original shape. Additionally, these materials have very good thermal properties, material stability, chemical resistance, and are more cost-effective to produce. As a result, these materials are highly sought in industrial applications.
Browse all flexible filaments in stock in our warehouse in Senec, Slovakia. For comparison, see also TPU and TPE.
FormFutura is a supplier of additive manufacturing materials founded in 2012. Its range covers filaments, resins and adhesives, from easy everyday PLA to engineering polymers and water-soluble support materials. At JustCreate3D the FormFutura products we list are stocked in our warehouse in Senec, Slovakia, and dispatched as soon as your order comes in.
The brand is known for promoting sustainable packaging in the 3D printing industry, for supplying recycled products and for supporting green initiatives. FormFutura also keeps renewing its portfolio with new materials, and offers XXL spools of up to 8 kg for users who print a lot.
FormFutura products at JustCreate3D
- PLA and decorative filaments – Volcano PLA, SKULPT and MetalFil, a PLA filled with about 80% copper or bronze powder.
- Technical filaments – ApolloX ASA, ABSpro Flame Retardant, STYX-12 Nylon, Centaur PP and Pegasus PP-HGS25 Ultralight.
- Support materials – AquaSolve (PVA support for PLA), Atlas Support (for PETG) and Helios Support (for ABS and ASA).
- SLA/LCD resins – Platinum LCD Series General Purpose, and the Tough and Heavy Duty resins of the Engineering SLA Series.
Who is FormFutura for?
FormFutura suits makers who want one supplier for both standard and technical work: designers who need a special look (metal-filled or textured PLA), engineers printing outdoor parts in ASA or polypropylene, and anyone printing complex shapes with soluble supports. Resin users will find general-purpose and engineering resins from the same brand.
Frequently asked questions
Which FormFutura support material should I choose?
Match the support to your main filament: AquaSolve is made for PLA, Atlas Support for PETG and Helios Support for ABS and ASA. PVA-type supports absorb moisture quickly, so store the spool dry and dry it before printing if it has been open for a while.
Do I need a special nozzle for MetalFil?
Yes. According to FormFutura, MetalFil should be printed with a hardened nozzle of 0.4 mm or larger, with retraction enabled. It works with full-metal, PEEK and PTFE hotends and with both direct drive and Bowden extruders.
Where are the FormFutura resins?
The Platinum LCD and Engineering SLA Series resins are in our resin section, not among the filaments.
Browse all FormFutura filaments or see the FormFutura resins in resins for 3D printing.