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3M improves its Design Process and Gains Manufacturing Confidence with Objet 3D Printing. 3M was facing a rapid increase in design projects. This required a more systematic and streamlined approach to the design, review and verification of new products, prior to molding and manufacturing. Therefore, instead of outsourcing their projects they decided to bring 3D printing in house.

This 5,000-hour study of seven plastics and nine fuel blends is designed to help automakers and Tier 1 suppliers speed design and create better systems for oxygenated fuels. It includes long-term fuel compatibility data for commonly used engineering plastics in applications such as fuel sender units, rollover valves, outlet covers and fuel injector components and confirms the importance of long-term testing to aid understanding of how plastics and fuels interact. It also confirms the many performance benefits of Celcon® and Hostaform® acetal copolymers (POM) at fuel tank temperatures and Fortron® polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) at engine compartment temperatures.