Determination of optimum production parameters for 3D printers based on nozzle diameter

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tugce Tezel ◽  
Volkan Kovan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the optimum nozzle diameter for parts production with polylactic acid using a three-dimensional printer. The additive manufacturing method used was fused filament fabrication. Design/methodology/approach Designers and researchers have focused on the effects of these parameters on part strength. Additionally, production time is one of the disadvantages of this manufacturing method that researchers are trying to overcome. The production parameters that stand out at this point are nozzle diameter and layer thickness. Findings As a result of the study, it was determined that the increased nozzle diameter led to increased part strength. At the same time, layer thickness had the most significant effect on surface quality. The increased nozzle diameter and part density led to decreased production time. It was concluded that larger nozzle diameter and lower layer thickness should be used for parts with superior properties. Research limitations/implications The experimental printing parameters used in the study were nozzle diameter (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 mm), layer thickness (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mm) and printing orientation (0°, 45° and 90°). The effects of printing parameters on part strength, dimensional accuracy, surface quality and part density were analyzed experimentally. Originality/value The effects of several printing parameters have been examined in the literature. However, the effect of different nozzle diameters has been ignored. There are limited experimental studies that examine the effect of nozzle diameter on mechanical properties, surface roughness, dimensional quality and production time. In this regard, the results obtained from various nozzle diameters used in this study will significantly contribute to the literature.

Author(s):  
M Corsi ◽  
S Bagassi ◽  
MC Moruzzi ◽  
L Seccia

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), is one of the most popular and widely used Additive Manufacturing filament based technology employing materials such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polycarbonate (PC), Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) and Polylactic Acid (PLA). In this technique, the part is built up layer-by-layer, affecting, both the resolution along the z-axis, and the mechanical properties dependent on the mesostructure, controlled by a large amount of production parameters such as layer thickness, raster orientation, number of contour and air gap. When dealing with functional and structural printed parts, a deep understanding of these tunable building parameters and their influence on the mechanical properties is of the utmost importance and over the years many experimental studies have been carried to investigate this need. This study is intended to explore specimens realized through FDM technique with different combinations of printing parameters to analyse their effect on the mechanical properties of ABS Plus p430. To this aim, tensile and compression specimens, had been designed and tested. Sixteen different types of tensile specimen had been realized by varying four different parameters, namely, layer thickness, part interior style, infill orientation and number of contours. Whereas, the number of compression specimens had been limited to four considering the variation of two parameters: layer thickness and part interior style. Three samples for each specimen had been produced in ABS Plus p430 using a Stratasys Fortus 250mc FDM printer and tested with a universal testing machine through tension and compression tests to analyse the correlation between printing parameters and material properties. Test results had led to important conclusions on the consistency and homogeneity of the mechanical properties and on the variation of the material’s performances in accordance with the different combinations of production parameters.


2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew P. Watters ◽  
Michelle L. Bernhardt

Purpose This paper presents findings from a study examining curing procedures to improve the compressive strength and hardness properties of specimens while maintaining surface quality. All specimens were created from a standard grey, acrylic-based photopolymer and fabricated using stereolithography technology. This paper aims to investigate the effects of printing layer thickness and print orientation on specimen compressive strength, as well as the effects of thermal and light curing methods. In addition, the post-print curing depth was investigated. Design/methodology/approach The effects of layer thickness and print orientation were investigated on 10 × 20 mm cylinders by determining the ultimate compressive strength once cured. The compressive strength of cylinders subjected to varying thermal and light settings was also investigated to determine the optimal curing settings. The effective depth of curing was investigated on a 25.4-mm cuboidal specimen, which received both thermal and light curing. Findings To achieve the highest compressive strength, specimens shall be printed with the minimal layer thickness of 25 µm. Increasing temperatures up to 60° C during curing provided a 0.75-MPa increase in compressive strength per degree Celsius. However, increasing temperatures above 60° C only provided a 0.15-MPa increase in compressive strength per degree Celsius. Furthermore, curing temperatures above 110° C resulted in degraded surface quality noted by defects at the layer laminations. Specimens required a minimum light curing exposure time of four hours to reach the maximum cure at which point any increase in exposure time provided no substantial increase in compressive strength. Originality/value This study provides recommendations for printing parameters and curing methods to achieve the optimum mechanical properties of cured stereolithography specimens.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 162-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah AlFaify ◽  
James Hughes ◽  
Keith Ridgway

Purpose The pulsed-laser powder bed fusion (PBF) process is an additive manufacturing technology that uses a laser with pulsed beam to melt metal powder. In this case, stainless steel SS316L alloy is used to produce complex components. To produce components with acceptable mechanical performance requires a comprehensive understanding of process parameters and their interactions. This study aims to understand the influence of process parameters on reducing porosity and increasing part density. Design/methodology/approach The response surface method (RSM) is used to investigate the impact of changing critical parameters on the density of parts manufactured. Parameters considered include: point distance, exposure time, hatching distance and layer thickness. Part density was used to identify the most statistically significant parameters, before each parameter was analysed individually. Findings A clear correlation between the number and shape of pores and the process parameters was identified. Point distance, exposure time and layer thickness were found to significantly affect part density. The interaction between these parameters also critically affected the development of porosity. Finally, a regression model was developed and verified experimentally and used to accurately predict part density. Research limitations/implications The study considered a range of selected parameters relevant to the SS316L alloy. These parameters need to be modified for other alloys according to their physical properties. Originality/value This study is believed to be the first systematic attempt to use RSM for the design of experiments (DOE) to investigate the effect of process parameters of the pulsed-laser PBF process on the density of the SS316L alloy components.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Manuel Vázquez Martínez ◽  
David Piñero Vega ◽  
Jorge Salguero ◽  
Moises Batista

Purpose The evaluation of novel materials such as the acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) for tribological and mechanical conditions can provide a structural protection against the environmental and wear effects that results in the long-term integrity of the 3 D printed parts. Results of the experimental stage are intended to identify the influence of the printing conditions on the functional characteristics of ASA parts that results in variations of the friction coefficient, wear rate and tensile response. In addition, this study aims to highlight the relevance of printing parameters to avoid the use of chemical post-processing stages, increasing the performance and sustainability of the process. Design/methodology/approach In this research, an evaluation of the influence of printing parameters of layer thickness and temperature on the mechanical and tribological response have been carried out for ASA specimens manufactured by fused filament fabrication technology. For this purpose, a range of three different values of thickness of fused layer and three different printing temperatures were combined in the manufacturing process of tests samples. Mechanical behavior of the printed parts was evaluated by standard tensile tests, and friction forces were measured by pin-on-disk tribological tests against steel spheres. Findings Higher layer thickness of the printed parts shows lower resistance to tribological wear effects; in terms of friction coefficient and wear rate, this type of parts also presents lower tensile strength. It has been detected that mechanical and tribological behavior is highly related to the micro-geometrical characteristics of the printed surfaces, which can be controlled by the manufacturing parameters. Under this consideration, a reduction in the coefficient of friction near to 65% in the average value was obtained through the variation of the layer thickness of printed surfaces. Originality/value This research aims to fill a gap in the scientific literature about the use of specific additive manufacturing materials under dynamic contact. This paper is mainly focused on the influence of the manufacturing parameters on the tribological and mechanical behavior of a weather resistant polymer (ASA).


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (10) ◽  
pp. 1733-1738
Author(s):  
André Luiz Alves Guimarães ◽  
Vicente Gerlin Neto ◽  
Cesar Renato Foschini ◽  
Maximiliano dos Anjos Azambuja ◽  
Luiz Antonio Vasques Hellmeister

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate and discuss the influence of printing parameters on the mechanical properties of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) print by fused deposition modelling (FDM). The mechanical properties of ABS are highly influenced by printing parameters, and they determine the final product quality of printed pieces. Design/methodology/approach For the paper’s purpose, five main parameters (extrusion temperature, infill pattern, air gap, printing speed and layer thickness) were selected and varied during ABS printing on an open-source and self-replicable FDM printer. Three different colors of commercially available ABS were also used to investigate color and printing parameter’s influence on the tensile strength. Findings The research results suggest that two parameters (infill pattern and layer thickness) were most influential on the mechanical properties of print ABS, being able to enhance its tensile strength. Another key influential factor was material color selected prior to printing, which influenced the tensile strength of the print specimen. Originality/value This study provides information on print parameters’ influence on the tensile strength of ABS print on replicable open-source three-dimensional (3D) printers. It also suggests the influence of materials’ color on print pieces’ tensile strength, indicating a new parameter for materials selection for 3D printing.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Pilar Valerga Puerta ◽  
J.D. Lopez-Castro ◽  
Adrián Ojeda López ◽  
Severo Raúl Fernández Vidal

Purpose Fused filament fabrication or fused deposition modeling (FFF/FDM) has as one of its main restrictions the surface quality intrinsic to the process, especially linked to the layer thickness used during manufacture. The purpose of this paper is to study the possibility of improving the surface quality of polylactic acid (PLA) parts manufactured by FFF using the shot blasting technique. Design/methodology/approach The influence of corundum blasting on 0.2 mm layer thickness FDM PLA parts treated with two sizes of abrasive, different exposure times and different incidence pressures. Findings As a result, improvements of almost 80% were obtained in the surface roughness of the pieces with high exposure times, and more than 50% in just 20 s. Originality/value This technique is cheap, versatile and adaptable to different part sizes and geometries. Furthermore, it is a fast and environmentally friendly technique compared to conventional machining or vapor smoothing. Despite this, no previous studies have been carried out to improve the quality of this technology.


2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 471-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mushtaq Khan ◽  
Phill Dickens

Purpose – This paper aims to present the application aspect of the work to manufacturing premolar and molar dental crowns by selective laser melting (SLM) of pure gold. Over the years different metals have been processed using laser-based Additive Manufacturing processes, but very little work has been published on the SLM of gold (Au). Previously published work presented suitable processing parameters for SLM of pure gold. Design/methodology/approach – Suitable processing parameters were used to manufacture premolar and molar dental crowns using SLM system. Different layer thickness was used to analyse the effect on surface quality of crowns. Mechanical properties are checked using nanoindentation and micro Computerized Tomography scanning. Findings – Dental crowns were successfully manufacturing using new build platform and suitable processing parameters. Parts were manufacturing using minimal supports which prevented parts from damaging during removal. A bed temperature of 100°C was found suitable for reducing warpage in the layers. Layer thickness of 50μm was found to have better surface quality and structural integrity as compared to 75μm. Porosity was found to be predominantly inter-layer. Small difference in mechanical properties of dental crowns is associated with the laser processing. Originality/value – This research is the first of its kind which presents dental crown manufacturing using SLM of pure gold.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia von Windheim ◽  
David W. Collinson ◽  
Trent Lau ◽  
L. Catherine Brinson ◽  
Ken Gall

Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand how printing parameters and subsequent annealing impacts porosity and crystallinity of 3D printed polylactic acid (PLA) and how these structural characteristics impact the printed material’s tensile strength in various build directions. Design/methodology/approach Two experimental studies were used, and samples with a flat vs upright print orientation were compared. The first experiment investigates a scan of printing parameters and annealing times and temperatures above the cold crystallization temperature (Tcc) for PLA. The second experiment investigates annealing above and below Tcc at multiple points over 12 h. Findings Annealing above Tcc does not significantly impact the porosity but it does increase crystallinity. The increase in crystallinity does not contribute to an increase in strength, suggesting that co-crystallization across the weld does not occur. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images show that weld interfaces between printed fibers are still visible after annealing above Tcc, confirming the lack of co-crystallization. Annealing below Tcc does not significantly impact porosity or crystallinity. However, there is an increase in tensile strength. AFM images show that annealing below Tcc reduces thermal stresses that form at the interfaces during printing and slightly “heals” the as-printed interface resulting in an increase in tensile strength. Originality/value While annealing has been explored in the literature, it is unclear how it affects porosity, crystallinity and thermal stresses in fused filament fabrication PLA and how those factors contribute to mechanical properties. This study explains how co-crystallization across weld interfaces is necessary for crystallinity to increase strength and uses AFM as a technique to observe morphology at the weld.


Metals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 574
Author(s):  
Ana Vafadar ◽  
Ferdinando Guzzomi ◽  
Kevin Hayward

Air heat exchangers (HXs) are applicable in many industrial sectors because they offer a simple, reliable, and cost-effective cooling system. Additive manufacturing (AM) systems have significant potential in the construction of high-efficiency, lightweight HXs; however, HXs still mainly rely on conventional manufacturing (CM) systems such as milling, and brazing. This is due to the fact that little is known regarding the effects of AM on the performance of AM fabricated HXs. In this research, three air HXs comprising of a single fin fabricated from stainless steel 316 L using AM and CM methods—i.e., the HXs were fabricated by both direct metal printing and milling. To evaluate the fabricated HXs, microstructure images of the HXs were investigated, and the surface roughness of the samples was measured. Furthermore, an experimental test rig was designed and manufactured to conduct the experimental studies, and the thermal performance was investigated using four characteristics: heat transfer coefficient, Nusselt number, thermal fluid dynamic performance, and friction factor. The results showed that the manufacturing method has a considerable effect on the HX thermal performance. Furthermore, the surface roughness and distribution, and quantity of internal voids, which might be created during and after the printing process, affect the performance of HXs.


2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Åkestam ◽  
Sara Rosengren ◽  
Micael Dahlen

Purpose This paper aims to investigate whether portrayals of homosexuality in advertising can generate social effects in terms of consumer-perceived social connectedness and empathy. Design/methodology/approach In three experimental studies, the effects of advertising portrayals of homosexuality were compared to advertising portrayals of heterosexuality. Study 1 uses a thought-listing exercise to explore whether portrayals of homosexuality (vs heterosexuality) can evoke more other-related thoughts and whether such portrayals affect consumer-perceived social connectedness and empathy. Study 2 replicates the findings while introducing attitudes toward homosexuality as a boundary condition and measuring traditional advertising effects. Study 3 replicates the findings while controlling for gender, perceived similarity and targetedness. Findings The results show that portrayals of homosexuality in advertising can prime consumers to think about other people, thereby affecting them socially. In line with previous studies of portrayals of homosexuality in advertising, these effects are moderated by attitudes toward homosexuality. Research limitations/implications This paper adds to a growing body of literature on the potentially positive extended effects of advertising. They also challenge some of the previous findings regarding homosexuality in advertising. Practical implications The finding that portrayals of homosexuality in advertising can (at least, temporarily) affect consumers socially in terms of social connectedness and empathy should encourage marketers to explore the possibilities of creating advertising that benefits consumers and brands alike. Originality/value The paper challenges the idea that the extended effects of advertising have to be negative. By showing how portrayals of homosexuality can increase social connectedness and empathy, it adds to the discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of advertising on a societal level.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document