Glass Transition Temperature vs Melting Point: Why do you care?
While not a relevant conversation among non e-NABLE volunteers, the difference between Glass Transition Temperature and Melting point is important when we need to thermoform.
Plastics are broken into two categories: ThermoSetting and ThermoForming.
- ThermoSetting plastic is formed in place, and never changes through heating/cooling
- ThermoForming plastic can be heated and reheated, changing its properties
Everything we deal with in the e-NABLE community, and 3D printing in general, is relevant only for thermoforming plastics.
A common thermoforming situation is the gauntlet for a prosthetic hand. Here’s a link to a video showing the process: