Fatigue life assessment of polyamide 12 processed by selective laser sintering. Damage modelling according to fracture mechanics

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicia Salazar ◽  
Alberto Jesús Cano Aragón ◽  
Jesús Rodríguez

Purpose Polyamide 12 (PA12) processed by the additive manufacturing technique of selective laser sintering (SLS) is acquiring a leading role in cutting-edge technological sectors pertaining to transport and biomedical among others. In many of these applications, design requirements must ensure fatigue structural integrity. One of the characteristic features of these SLS PA12 is the layer-wise structure that may influence the mechanical response. Therefore, this paper aims to assess the fatigue life behavior of PA12, focusing on the effect of the load direction with respect to the load orientation. Design/methodology/approach With the aim of analyzing the effect of the load direction with respect to the layer wise structure, fatigue tests on plain samples of SLS PA12 were carried out with the load applied parallel and perpendicular to the layer planes. The S-N stress life curves and the fatigue limit at 106 cycles were determined at room temperature and at a stress ratio of 0.1. The fracture surfaces were inspected to evaluate the damage evolution, modeled via the fracture mechanics methodology to obtain the fracture parameters. Findings The fatigue resistance was better when the load was applied parallel than when was applied perpendicularly to the layered structure. The analysis of the postmortem specimens evidenced three regions. The inspection of the fatigue macro crack growth region revealed that crazing was the mechanism responsible of nucleation and growth of damage till a macroscopic crack was generated, as well as of the consequent crack advancement. The calculated fracture parameters computed from the application of the fracture mechanics approach were similar to those obtained from standardized fracture tests, except when the stress levels were close to the yield strength. Originality/value The fatigue knowledge of polymers, and especially of polymers processed via additive manufacturing techniques, is still scarce. Therefore, the value of this investigation is not only to obtain fatigue data that could be used for structural design with SLS PA12 materials but also to advance in the knowledge of damage evolution during the fatigue process.

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 813-820 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junjie Wu ◽  
Xiang Xu ◽  
Zhihao Zhao ◽  
Minjie Wang ◽  
Jie Zhang

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of selective laser sintering (SLS) method on morphology and performance of polyamide 12. Design/methodology/approach Crystallization behavior is critical to the properties of semi-crystalline polymers. The crystallization condition of SLS process is much different from others. The morphology of polyamide 12 produced by SLS technology was investigated using scanning electron microscopy, polarized light microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and wide-angle X-ray diffraction. Findings Too low fill laser power brought about bad fusion of powders, while too high energy input resulted in bad performance due to chain scission of macromolecules. There were three types of crystal in the raw powder material, denoted as overgrowth crystal, ring-banded spherulite and normal spherulite. Originality/value In this work, SLS samples with different sintering parameters, as well as compression molding sample for the purpose of comparison, were made to study the morphology and crystal structure of sintered PA12 in detail.


2021 ◽  
Vol 234 ◽  
pp. 00006
Author(s):  
Hanane YAAGOUBI ◽  
Hamid ABOUCHADI ◽  
Mourad TAHA JANAN

One of the most promising additive manufacturing techniques is selective laser sintering (SLS) of thermoplastic materials. However, the materials successfully applicable to laser sintering (LS) are very limited today. In this study the exceptional position of polyamide 12 powders is underlined. Several numerical and experimental studies have been carried out to make comparisons between the use of powdered materials for polyamide 12 and other types of polymers during the SLS process. The complexity of this process and the interaction between the different phenomena involved has not been fully understood. In this work we highlight the different models of the selective laser sintering of polyamide 12 as well as their different results in order to better understand the functioning of this process.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1103-1112
Author(s):  
Saleh Ahmed Aldahash ◽  
Abdelrasoul M. Gadelmoula

Purpose The cement-filled PA12 manufactured by selective laser sintering (SLS) offers desirable mechanical properties; however, these properties are dependent on several fabrication parameters. As a result, SLS prototypes may exhibit orthotropic mechanical properties unless properly oriented in build chamber. This paper aims to evaluate the effects of part build orientation, laser energy and cement content on mechanical properties of cement-filled PA12. Design/methodology/approach The test specimens were fabricated by SLS using the “DTM Sinterstation 2000” system at which the specimens were aligned along six different orientations. The scanning speed was 914mm/s, scan spacing was 0.15mm, layer thickness was 0.1mm and laser power was 4.5–8Watt. A total of 270 tensile specimens, 270 flexural specimens and 135 compression specimens were manufactured and the tensile, compression and flexural properties of fabricated specimens were evaluated. Findings The experiments revealed orientation-dependent (orthotropic) mechanical properties of SLS cement-filled PA12 and confirmed that the parts with shorter scan vectors have enhanced flexural strength as compared with longer scan vectors. The maximum deviations of ultimate tensile strength, compressive strength and flexural modulus along the six orientations were 32%, 26% and 36%, respectively. Originality/value Although part build orientation is a key fabrication parameter, very little was found in open literature with contradictory findings about its effect on mechanical properties of fabricated parts. In this work, the effects of build orientation when combined with other fabrication parameters on the properties of SLS parts were evaluated along six different orientations.


2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (8) ◽  
pp. 1325-1336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tugdual Amaury Le Néel ◽  
Pascal Mognol ◽  
Jean-Yves Hascoët

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current state of the art manufacturing techniques using sand molds for the casting industry by the means of additive manufacturing (AM). In particular, this review will cover two families of 3D printing in regards to sand mold fabrication. Design/methodology/approach This paper will discuss the sand casting manufacturing processes of AM by binder jetting (3D printing) and selective laser sintering. Scientific articles, patents and case studies are analyzed. Topics ranging from the technology types to the economic implications are covered. Findings The review investigates new factors and methods for mold design, looking at mechanical properties and cost analysis as influenced by material selection, thermal characteristics, topological optimization and manufacturing procedure. Findings in this study suggest that this topic lacks vigorous scientific research and that the case studies by manufacturers thus far are not useful. Research limitations/implications As demonstrated by the limited data from previous published studies, a more comprehensive and conclusive analysis is needed due to the lack of interest and resources regarding the AM of sand molds. Practical implications This study is a useful tool for any researchers with an interest in the field of AM of sand molds. Social implications Key perspectives are proposed. Originality/value This review highlights current gaps in this field. The review goes beyond the scientific articles by curating patents and professional case studies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 658-664
Author(s):  
H. Chiririwa

Selective laser sintering (SLS) had been recognized as production expertise (additive manufacturing). The complication restricting the use of SLS in additive manufacturing in an extensive range of industrial scope is the limited selection of usable polymers as it is only limited to polyamide 12. Other polymeric materials such as polypropylene and polyethylene are needed to establish pristine market avenues in industry. In selective laser sintering, the powder is reused in consecutive cycles of the route for the reason that it is sustainable and cost effective. Characterization procedures, including the many available techniques has been proposed to determine changes in chemical microstructures, morphology along with flowability. Subtle disimilarities linking virgin and used powder have been identified through characterization.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 462-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oluwakayode Bamiduro ◽  
Gbadebo Owolabi ◽  
Mulugeta A. Haile ◽  
Jaret C. Riddick

Purpose The continual growth of additive manufacturing has increased tremendously because of its versatility, flexibility and high customization of geometric structures. However, design hurdles are presented in understanding the relationship between the fabrication process and materials microstructure as it relates to the mechanical performance. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of build architecture and microstructure and the effects of load direction on the static response and mechanical properties of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) specimens obtained via the fused deposition modeling (FDM) processing technique. Design/methodology/approach Among additive manufacturing processes, FDM is a prolific technology for manufacturing ABS. The blend of ABS combines strength, rigidity and toughness, all of which are desirable for the production of structural materials in rapid manufacturing applications. However, reported literature has varied widely on the mechanical performance due to the proprietary nature of the ABS material ratio, ultimately creating a design hurdle. While prior experimental studies have studied the mechanical response via uniaxial tension testing, this study has aimed to understand the mechanical response of ABS from the materials’ microstructural point of view. First, ABS specimen was fabricated via FDM using a defined build architecture. Next, the specimens were mechanically tested until failure. Then finally, the failure structures were microstructurally investigated. In this paper, the effects of microstructural evolution on the static mechanical response of various build architecture of ABS aimed at FDM manufacturing technique was analyzed. Findings The results show that the rastering orientation of 0/90 exhibited the highest tensile strength followed by fracture at its maximum load. However, the “45” bead direction of the ABS fibers displayed a cold-drawing behavior before rupture. The morphology analyses before and after tensile failure were characterized by a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) which highlighted the effects of bead geometry (layers) and areas of stress concentration such as interstitial voids in the material during build, ultimately compromising the structural integrity of the specimens. Research limitations/implications The ability to control the constituents and microstructure of a material during fabrication is significant to improving and predicting the mechanical performance of structural additive manufacturing components. In this report, the effects of microstructure on the mechanical performance of FDM-fabricated ABS materials was discussed. Further investigations are planned in understanding the effects of ambient environmental conditions (such as moisture) on the ABS material pre- and post-fabrication. Originality/value The study provides valuable experimental data for the purpose of understanding the inter-dependency between build parameters and microstructure as it relates to the specimens exemplified strength. The results highlighted in this study are fundamental to the development of optimal design of strength and complex ultra-lightweight structure efficiency.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document