Field-structured magnetic elastomers based on thermoplastic polyurethane for fused filament fabrication

2020 ◽  
Vol 378 (2171) ◽  
pp. 20190257 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Dohmen ◽  
A. Saloum ◽  
J. Abel
Keyword(s):  
Smart Materials ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Thermoplastic Polyurethane ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Fused Filament Fabrication ◽  
Research Institution ◽  
Private Households ◽  
Fibre Reinforced Polymer ◽  
Er Fluids ◽  
Magnetic Elastomers

The utilization of ‘smart’ materials with adaptable properties or characteristics are a widespread research issue, offering potential for tailored solutions, weight reduction or added value of products through integrated functionality. Therefore, field controlled hybrid materials such as magnetorheological (MR) elastomers or electrorheological (ER) fluids are particularly valuable and within the focus of science and research. At the same time, additive manufacturing has had a strong influence on production processes over the past decade. Today a 3D printer can be found across all disciplines in almost every company, research institution and even in many private households. The Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) process is especially popular due to its low cost and simplicity. Within this work, a new approach for the generation of field-structured magnetic elastomers using the FFF process and a correspondingly developed prototype print head for implementation are presented and discussed. With its unique research landscape Dresden offers excellent conditions for the development of innovative processes and composite materials in the field of generative manufacture. In the ‘Dresden Concept’ network, experts from various disciplines collaborate and investigate the entire spectrum starting from biological materials, through lightweight fibre reinforced polymer composites, to high-temperature ceramics. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Patterns in soft and biological matters’.

Tensile properties of the FFF-processed thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) elastomer

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Budi Arifvianto ◽  
Teguh Nur Iman ◽  
Benidiktus Tulung Prayoga ◽  
Rini Dharmastiti ◽  
Urip Agus Salim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Tensile Strength ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Thermoplastic Polyurethane ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Tensile Tests ◽  
Uniaxial Tensile ◽  
Fused Filament Fabrication ◽  
Raster Angle ◽  
Manufacturing Techniques

Abstract Fused filament fabrication (FFF) has become one of the most popular, practical, and low-cost additive manufacturing techniques for fabricating geometrically-complex thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) elastomer. However, there are still some uncertainties concerning the relationship between several operating parameters applied in this technique and the mechanical properties of the processed material. In this research, the influences of extruder temperature and raster orientation on the mechanical properties of the FFF-processed TPU elastomer were studied. A series of uniaxial tensile tests was carried out to determine tensile strength, strain, and elastic modulus of TPU elastomer that had been printed with various extruder temperatures, i.e., 190–230 °C, and raster angles, i.e., 0–90°. Thermal and chemical characterizations were also conducted to support the analysis in this research. The results obviously showed the ductile and elastic characteristics of the FFF-processed TPU, with specific tensile strength and strain that could reach up to 39 MPa and 600%, respectively. The failure mechanisms operating on the FFF-processed TPU and the result of stress analysis by using the developed Mohr’s circle are also discussed in this paper. In conclusion, the extrusion temperature of 200 °C and raster angle of 0° could be preferred to be applied in the FFF process to achieve high strength and ductile TPU elastomer.

Fused filament fabrication: A comprehensive review

2020 ◽  
pp. 089270572097062
Author(s):  
Sudhir Kumar ◽  
Rupinder Singh ◽  
TP Singh ◽  
Ajay Batish
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
3D Printing ◽  
Smart Materials ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Processing Parameters ◽  
View Point ◽  
Fused Filament Fabrication ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
Smart Composites ◽  
Complex Design

Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is one of the low cost additive manufacturing (AM) techniques capable of printing complex design (both with commercial and non-commercial feedstock filaments by using different processing parameters). In this paper a comprehensive review has been prepared on FFF operating capabilities from thermoplastics material’s view point. Various thermoplastic materials and composites available commercially and prepared at laboratory scale have been categorized based upon the reported studies performed (for thermal stability, mechanical properties etc.). It was observed that the nano composite based feed stock filament (prepared at lab scale) have edge over the micro-composites from thermo-mechanical properties view point. Further it has been noticed that the 3D printing is in changing phase and moving towards 4D printing of smart composites and designs. But hitherto little has been reported on printing of smart material with FFF platform. Further studies may be focused on printing of smart materials (both micro and nano composites) with FFF, as the low cost 3D printing solution in different engineering applications.

scholarly journals Thermal Characterization of New 3D-Printed Bendable, Coplanar Capacitive Sensors

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (19) ◽  
pp. 6324
Author(s):  
Mattia Alessandro Ragolia ◽  
Anna M. L. Lanzolla ◽  
Gianluca Percoco ◽  
Gianni Stano ◽  
Attilio Di Nisio
Keyword(s):  
Sunflower Oil ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Thermoplastic Polyurethane ◽  
Thermal Characterization ◽  
Capacitive Sensor ◽  
Fused Filament Fabrication ◽  
Level Measurement ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Good Repeatability

In this paper a new low-cost stretchable coplanar capacitive sensor for liquid level sensing is presented. It has been 3D-printed by employing commercial thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and conductive materials and using a fused filament fabrication (FFF) process for monolithic fabrication. The sensor presents high linearity and good repeatability when measuring sunflower oil level. Experiments were performed to analyse the behaviour of the developed sensor when applying bending stimuli, in order to verify its flexibility, and a thermal characterization was performed in the temperature range from 10 °C to 40 °C to evaluate its effect on sunflower oil level measurement. The experimental results showed negligible sensitivity of the sensor to bending stimuli, whereas the thermal characterization produced a model describing the relationship between capacitance, temperature, and oil level, allowing temperature compensation in oil level measurement. The different temperature cycles allowed to quantify the main sources of uncertainty, and their effect on level measurement was evaluated.

scholarly journals Towards Iron-Titanium Oxide Nanostructures from Ecuadorian Black Mineral Sands

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 122
Author(s):  
Karina J. Lagos ◽  
Bojan A. Marinkovic ◽  
Alexis Debut ◽  
Karla Vizuete ◽  
Víctor H. Guerrero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Titanium Oxide ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Mineral Resources ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Secondary Phases ◽  
Hydrothermal Route ◽  
Oxide Nanostructures ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Pre Treatment

Ecuadorian black mineral sands were used as starting material for the production of iron-titanium oxide nanostructures. For this purpose, two types of mineral processing were carried out, one incorporating a pre-treatment before conducting an alkaline hydrothermal synthesis (NaOH 10 M at 180 °C for 72 h), and the other prescinding this first step. Nanosheet-assembled flowers and nanoparticle agglomerates were obtained from the procedure including the pre-treatment. Conversely, nanobelts and plate-like particles were prepared by the single hydrothermal route. The nanoscale features of the product morphologies were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. The ilmenite and hematite molar fractions, within the ilmenite-hematite solid solution, in the as-synthetized samples were estimated by Brown’s approach using the computed values of unit-cell volumes from Le Bail adjustments of X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) patterns. The resulting materials were mainly composed of Fe-rich ilmenite-hematite solid solutions (hematite molar contents ≥0.6). Secondary phases, which possibly belong to lepidocrocite-like or corrugated titanate structures, were also identified. The current study demonstrated the feasibility of employing Ecuadorian mineral resources as low-cost precursors to synthesize high-added-value nanostructures with promising applications in several fields.

scholarly journals Effects of 3D Printing-Line Directions for Stretchable Sensor Performances

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 1791
Author(s):  
Chi Cuong Vu ◽  
Thanh Tai Nguyen ◽  
Sangun Kim ◽  
Jooyong Kim
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Thermoplastic Polyurethane ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Human Motion ◽  
Repeated Measurements ◽  
Fused Filament Fabrication ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Times ◽  
Stretchable Sensors

Health monitoring sensors that are attached to clothing are a new trend of the times, especially stretchable sensors for human motion measurements or biological markers. However, price, durability, and performance always are major problems to be addressed and three-dimensional (3D) printing combined with conductive flexible materials (thermoplastic polyurethane) can be an optimal solution. Herein, we evaluate the effects of 3D printing-line directions (45°, 90°, 180°) on the sensor performances. Using fused filament fabrication (FDM) technology, the sensors are created with different print styles for specific purposes. We also discuss some main issues of the stretch sensors from Carbon Nanotube/Thermoplastic Polyurethane (CNT/TPU) and FDM. Our sensor achieves outstanding stability (10,000 cycles) and reliability, which are verified through repeated measurements. Its capability is demonstrated in a real application when detecting finger motion by a sensor-integrated into gloves. This paper is expected to bring contribution to the development of flexible conductive materials—based on 3D printing.

Design and Analysis of Hybrid Fused Filament Fabrication Apparatus for Fabrication of Composites

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aniket Yadav ◽  
Piyush Chohan ◽  
Ranvijay Kumar ◽  
Jasgurpreet Singh Chohan ◽  
Raman Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Composite Materials ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Matrix Material ◽  
Fabrication Process ◽  
Layer By Layer ◽  
Fused Filament Fabrication ◽  
Composite Manufacturing ◽  
Tool Paths

Background: Additive manufacturing is the most famous technology which requires materials or composites to be fabricated with layer by layer deposition strategy. Due to its lower cost, higher accuracy and less material wastage; this technology is used in almost every sector. But in many applications there is a need to alter the properties of a product in a certain direction with the help of some reinforcements. With the use of reinforcements, composite layers can be fabricated using additive manufacturing technique which will enhance the directional properties. A novel apparatus is designed to spray the reinforcement material into the printed structures in a very neat and precise manner. This spray nozzle is fully automated, which works according to tool-paths generated by slicing software. The alternate deposition of layers of reinforcement and build materials helped to fabricate customized composite products. Objective: The objective of present study is to design and analyze the working principle of novel technique which has been developed to fabricate composite materials using additive manufacturing. The apparatus is numerically controlled by computer according to CAD data which facilitates the deposition of alternate layers of reinforcement and matrix material. The major challenges during the design process and function of each component has been explored. Methods: The design process is initiated after comprehensive literature review performed to study previous composite manufacturing processes. The recent patents published by different patent offices of the world are studied in detail and analysis has been used to design a low cost composite fabrication apparatus. A liquid dispensing device comprises a storage tank attached with a pump and microprocessor. The microprocessor receives the signal from the computer as per tool paths generated by slicing software which decides the spray of reinforcements on polymer layers. The spraying apparatus moves in coordination with the primary nozzle of the Fused Filament Fabrication process. Results: The hybridization of Fused Filament Fabrication [process with metal spray process has been successfully performed. The apparatus facilitates the fabrication of low cost composite materials along with flexibility of complete customization of composite manufacturing process. The anisotropic behaviour of products can be easily controlled and managed during fabrication which can be used for different applications.

scholarly journals A Review on Applications of Kenaf Fibre Reinforced Composites

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-112
Author(s):  
Sasikumar Gnanasekaran ◽  
Sivasangari Ayyappan
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Renewable Resources ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Natural Fibres ◽  
Reinforced Composites ◽  
Reinforced Polymer ◽  
Kenaf Fibre ◽  
Low Weight ◽  
Fibre Reinforced Polymer ◽  
Fibre Reinforced Composites

Natural fibres namely sisal, jute, kenaf, hemp, abaca and banana are mainly used in industries for developing Natural fibres composites. They find many applications such as automobiles, furniture, packing and construction due to many merits such as their low cost, good mechanical properties, non-toxic, low weight, less damage to processing equipment, improved surface finish, abundant and renewable resources. The objective of this paper is to review the applications of various kenaf fibre reinforced polymer composites which will provide a base for further research in this area.

scholarly journals Seasonal Influence on the Performance of Low-Cost NO2 Sensor Calibrations

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (23) ◽  
pp. 7919
Author(s):  
Sjoerd van Ratingen ◽  
Jan Vonk ◽  
Christa Blokhuis ◽  
Joost Wesseling ◽  
Erik Tielemans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Sensor Data ◽  
Sensor Technology ◽  
Monitoring Networks ◽  
Technical Problems ◽  
Eu Directive ◽  
Short Period ◽  
No2 Sensor ◽  
One Year

Low-cost sensor technology has been available for several years and has the potential to complement official monitoring networks. The current generation of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) sensors suffers from various technical problems. This study explores the added value of calibration models based on (multiple) linear regression including cross terms on the performance of an electrochemical NO2 sensor, the B43F manufactured by Alphasense. Sensor data were collected in duplicate at four reference sites in the Netherlands over a period of one year. It is shown that a calibration, using O3 and temperature in addition to a reference NO2 measurement, improves the prediction in terms of R2 from less than 0.5 to 0.69–0.84. The uncertainty of the calibrated sensors meets the Data Quality Objective for indicative methods specified by the EU directive in some cases and it was verified that the sensor signal itself remains an important predictor in the multilinear regressions. In practice, these sensors are likely to be calibrated over a period (much) shorter than one year. This study shows the dependence of the quality of the calibrated signal on the choice of these short (monthly) calibration and validation periods. This information will be valuable for determining short-period calibration strategies.

scholarly journals Iranian Steel Industry: Domination of Dispersed Direct Reduction Plants in an Inefficient Value Chain and a Droughty Environment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sepehr Ghazinoory ◽  
Mehdi Fatemi ◽  
Abolfazl Adab
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Steel Industry ◽  
Material Flow ◽  
Steel Ingot ◽  
Direct Reduction ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Material Flow Analysis ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Easy Access

Abstract Iran has a great advantage in the development of the steel industry due to its access to mineral resources and energy, extensive consumer market, and low-cost labor. In this article, the Iranian steel value chain in 2014-2016 is studied using the value chain analysis and material flow analysis. Accordingly, based on the statistics related to the input and output of each echelon in the chain, the material flow is analyzed throughout the value chain. Then the total added value from the chain, the share of different stages, and the various costs in each echelon are calculated. According to the research findings, weakness in the development of transportation infrastructure and poor geographical distribution of value chain units has led to the deviation of production from nominal capacity and frequent imports/exports throughout the chain. On the other hand, the upstream industries have a permanent advantage that deeply roots in easy access to the minerals and lower costs in transportation and energy. Finally, the pricing of intermediate products based on the ratio of steel ingot prices is criticized, while wage conversion and commodity purification contracts are proposed as possible solutions for the reduction of overhead costs.

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