scholarly journals Polymer Composites Used in Rapid Prototyping Technology

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-20
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Bulanda ◽  
Mariusz Oleksy ◽  
Rafał Oliwa ◽  
Grzegorz Budzik ◽  
Tadeusz Markowski

AbstractNew materials and filaments dedicated to 3D printing were obtained using the fused deposition modeling method, and the properties of the produced materials were investigated. Polylactide was used as a polymer base for the assays because of the desired properties of the polymer, mainly biodegradability, and the matrix was refilled by the addition of metallic nanofillers, such as bronze, copper, brass, and steel. For the composites obtained, mechanical properties were investigated to determine the dependence of the obtained results on the content and type of filler used and on the method of fabrication of the fittings. It was found that the additives present in the polymer matrix increased the fluidity of the material. The best results were obtained for the compositions with bronze and steel in which the mass flow rate was 72.97 and 79.99 g/10 min, respectively. The filled material that had lower hardness was measured by Rockwell and the impact strength was measured by Charpy. In addition, it was found that injection-molded parts obtained much better mechanical properties than those obtained by 3D printing.


2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 869-880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying-Guo Zhou ◽  
Bei Su ◽  
Lih-sheng Turng

Purpose Although the feasibility and effectiveness of the fused deposition modeling (FDM) method have been proposed and developed, studies of applying this technology to various materials are still needed for researching its applicability, especially with regard to polymer blends and composites. The purpose of this paper is to study the deposition-induced effect and the effect of compatibilizers on the mechanical properties of polypropylene and polycarbonate (PP/PC) composites. Design/methodology/approach For this purpose, three different deposition modes for PP/PC composites with or without compatibilizers were used for the FDM method and tested for tensile properties. Also, parts with the same materials were made by injection molding and used for comparison. In addition, different deposition speeds were used to investigate the different deposition-induced effects. Furthermore, the behavior of the mechanical properties was clarified with scanning electron microscope images of the fracture surfaces. Findings The research results suggest that the deposition orientation has a significant influence on the mechanical behavior of PP/PC composite FDM parts. The results also indicate that there is a close relationship between the mechanical properties and morphological structures which are deeply influenced by compatibilization. Compared with injection molded parts, the ductility of the FDM parts can be dramatically improved due to the formation of fibrils and micro-fibrils by the deposition induced during processing. Originality/value This is the first paper to investigate a PP/PC composite FDM process. The results of this paper verified the applicability of PP/PC composites to FDM technology. It is also the first time that the deposition-induced effect during FDM has been investigated and studied.



2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 887-894 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eunseob Kim ◽  
Yong-Jun Shin ◽  
Sung-Hoon Ahn

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the water absorption behaviors and mechanical properties, according to water absorption and temperature, of components fabricated by fused deposition modeling (FDM) and injection molding. The mechanical properties of FDM and injection molded parts were studied under several environmental conditions. Design/methodology/approach FDM components can be used as load-carrying elements under a range of moisture and temperature conditions. FDM parts show anisotropic mechanical properties according to build orientation. Components were fabricated from acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene in three different orientations. The mechanical properties of parts fabricated by FDM were compared to injection molded components made from the same material. Water absorption tests were conducted in distilled water between 20 and 60°C to identify the maximum water absorption rate. Both moisture and temperature were considered as environmental variables in the tensile tests, which were conducted under various conditions to measure the effects on mechanical properties. Findings The water absorption behavior of FDM components obeyed Fickian diffusion theory, irrespective of the temperature. High temperatures accelerated the diffusion rate, although the maximum water absorption rate was not affected. The tensile strength of FDM parts under dry, room temperature conditions, was approximately 26-56 per cent that of injection molded parts, depending on build orientation. Increased temperature and water absorption had a more significant effect on FDM parts than injection molded components. The tensile strength was decreased by 67-71 per cent in hot, wet environments compared with dry, room temperature conditions. Originality/value The water absorption behavior of FDM components was investigated. The quantitative effects of temperature and moisture on tensile strength, modulus and strain were also measured. These results will contribute to the design of FDM parts for use under various environmental conditions.



Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 2416
Author(s):  
Thossapit Wissamitanan ◽  
Charoenyutr Dechwayukul ◽  
Ekwipoo Kalkornsurapranee ◽  
Wiriya Thongruang

Flexible thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) were prepared for fused deposition modeling (FDM) or 3D printing. These materials can be used for medical purposes such as disposable soft splints and other flexible devices. Blends of 50% epoxidized natural rubber (ENR-50) and block rubber (Standard Thai Rubber 5L (STR5L)) with polycaprolactone (PCL) were produced and compared. The purpose of this study was to investigate the properties of natural rubber (NR) and PCL in simple blends with PCL contents of 40%, 50%, and 60% by weight (except at 75% for morphology study) in the base mixture (NR/PCL). The significant flow factors for FDM materials, such as melting temperature (Tm) and melt flow rate (MFR), were observed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and via the melt flow index (MFI). In addition, the following mechanical properties were also determined: tensile strength, compression set, and hardness. The results from DSC showed that the melting temperature changed slightly (1–2 °C) with amount of PCL used, and there was a suspicious point in the 50/50 blends with both types of rubber. The lowest melting enthalpy of both blends was found at the 50/50 blended composition. The MFI results showed that PCL significantly affected the melt flow rate of both blends. The ENR-50/PCL blend flowed better than the STR5L/PCL blend. The conclusion was that this was due to the morphology of its phase structure having better uniformity than that of the STR5L/PCL blend. In compression set testing or measuring shape recovery, rubber directly influenced the recovery in all blends. The ENR-50/PCL blend had less recovery than the STR5L/PCL blend, probably due to the functional effects of epoxide groups and polarity mismatch. The hard phase PCL significantly affected the hardness of samples but improved shape recovery of the material. The ENR-50/PCL blend had better tensile properties than the STR5L/PCL blend. The elongation at break of both blends improved with a high rubber content. Hence, the ENR-50/PCL blend was superior to STR5L/PCL for printing purposes due to its better miscibility, uniformity, and flow, which are the keys to success for optimizing the fused deposition modeling conditions as well as the overall mechanical properties of products. Most blends in this study were only slightly different, but the 50/50 blend of ENR-50/PCL seemed to be near optimal for 3D printing.



2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 943-953 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony A. D’Amico ◽  
Analise Debaie ◽  
Amy M. Peterson

Purpose The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of layer thickness on irreversible thermal expansion, residual stress and mechanical properties of additively manufactured parts. Design/methodology/approach Samples were printed at several layer thicknesses, and their irreversible thermal expansion, tensile strength and flexural strength were determined. Findings Irreversible thermal strain increases with decreasing layer thickness, up to 22 per cent strain. Tensile and flexural strengths exhibited a peak at a layer thickness of 200 μm although the maximum was not statistically significant at a 95 per cent confidence interval. Tensile strength was 54 to 97 per cent of reported values for injection molded acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and 29 to 73 per cent of those reported for bulk ABS. Flexural strength was 18 to 41 per cent of reported flexural strength for bulk ABS. Practical implications The large irreversible thermal strain exhibited that corresponding residual stresses could lead to failure of additively manufactured parts over time. Additionally, the observed irreversible thermal strains could enable thermally responsive shape in additively manufactured parts. Variation in mechanical properties with layer thickness will also affect manufactured parts. Originality/value Tailorable irreversible thermal strain of this magnitude has not been previously reported for additively manufactured parts. This strain occurs in parts made with both high-end and consumer grade fused deposition modeling machines. Additionally, the impact of layer thickness on tensile and flexural properties of additively manufactured parts has received limited attention in the literature.



2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1 (110)) ◽  
pp. 70-80
Author(s):  
Oleksii Vambol ◽  
Andrii Kondratiev ◽  
Svitlana Purhina ◽  
Maryna Shevtsova

The mass application of FDM technology is slowed down due to the difficulty of selecting 3D printing parameters in order to manufacture an article with the required characteristics. This paper reports a study into the impact of 3D printing parameters (temperature, print speed, layer height) on mechanical parameters (strength, elasticity module), as well as on the accuracy of printing and roughness of the surface of a specimen based on thermoplastic (PLA plastic). Several batches of specimens were fabricated for this study in accordance with ASTM D638 and ASTM D695, which were tested for tension, geometric accuracy, and roughness. Based on the experimental data, regression analysis was carried out and the functional dependences of the strength, elasticity module, printing precision, roughness of a surface on 3D printing parameters (temperature, speed, thickness of the layer) were constructed. In addition, the derived mathematical model underlying a method of non-linear programming has established such printing parameters that could provide for the required properties of a structure. The analytical dependences reported in the current work demonstrate a high enough determination factor in the examined range of parameters. Using functional dependences during the design phase makes it possible to assess the feasibility of its manufacture with the required properties, reduce the time to work out the process of printing it, and give recommendations on the technological parameters of 3D printing. The recommendations from this study could be used to make PLA-plastic articles for various purposes with the required properties



2021 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 142-153
Author(s):  
Doina Dimonie ◽  
Nicoleta Dragomir ◽  
Rusandica Stoica

In order to improve thermal behavior and dimensional strability of polylactic acid (PLA) designed both for 3D and 4D printing technology-fused deposition modeling (FDM) using a scalable procedure, the polymer was melt compounded with additives which control the morphology by crystallization and/or reinforcing. Using the formulations which provide polylactic acid (PLA) improved thermo-mechanical properties and desired dimensional stability, the new materials were shaped, on a laboratory line, as filaments for printing technology. The selected compounds were than scaled up on a 50 kg/h compounding line into granules which prove to have good shapability as filaments for printing technology (1.85 +/- 0.05 mm diameter, required ovality, good appearance and smooth surface) and performed properly at 3D printing. The obtained results proved that functional properties of PLA can be improved by various methods so that, depending on the reached performances, the new material can be converted through printing technology into items for performance applications. The novelty of the article is related to the fact that it identifies a modifying solution for controlling the morphology of a type of PLA designed for 3D printing that already has an advanced crystallinity.



Author(s):  
Alberto Cattenone ◽  
Simone Morganti ◽  
Gianluca Alaimo ◽  
Ferdinando Auricchio

Additive manufacturing (or three-dimensional (3D) printing) is constantly growing as an innovative process for the production of complex-shape components. Among the seven recognized 3D printing technologies, fused deposition modeling (FDM) covers a very important role, not only for producing representative 3D models, but, mainly due to the development of innovative material like Peek and Ultem, also for realizing structurally functional components. However, being FDM a production process involving high thermal gradients, non-negligible deformations and residual stresses may affect the 3D printed component. In this work we focus on meso/macroscopic simulations of the FDM process using abaqus software. After describing in detail the methodological process, we investigate the impact of several parameters and modeling choices (e.g., mesh size, material model, time-step size) on simulation outcomes and we validate the obtained results with experimental measurements.



Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 2579
Author(s):  
Waleed Ahmed ◽  
Sidra Siraj ◽  
Ali H. Al-Marzouqi

Due to the significant properties of silica, thermostatics can be enhanced using silica-additives to maximize the quality of polymer compounds and transform plastics into tailored properties. The silica additives can enhance the handling and quality performance of composites and thermoplastic polymers due to their diverse potential. Besides, using silica as an additive in different characteristics can allow granulates and powders to flow easily, minimize caking, and control rheology. On the other hand, the eruption of 3D printing technology has led to a massive new waste source of plastics, especially the polylactic acid (PLA) that is associated with the fused deposition modeling (FDM) process. In this paper, the impact on the mechanical properties when silica is mixed with waste PLA from 3D printing was studied. The PLA/silica mixtures were prepared using different blends through twin extruders and a Universal Testing Machine was used for the mechanical characterization. The result indicated that increasing silica composition resulted in the increase of the tensile strength to 121.03 MPa at 10 wt%. Similar trends were also observed for the toughness, ductility, and the yield stress values of the PLA/silica blends at 10 wt%, which corresponds to the increased mechanical property of the composite material reinforced by the silica particles. Improvement in the mechanical properties of the developed composite material promotes the effective recycling of PLA from applications such as 3D printing and the potential of reusing it in the same application.



Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 2567
Author(s):  
Madison Bardot ◽  
Michael D. Schulz

3D printing by fused deposition modelling (FDM) enables rapid prototyping and fabrication of parts with complex geometries. Unfortunately, most materials suitable for FDM 3D printing are non-degradable, petroleum-based polymers. The current ecological crisis caused by plastic waste has produced great interest in biodegradable materials for many applications, including 3D printing. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA), in particular, has been extensively investigated for FDM applications. However, most biodegradable polymers, including PLA, have insufficient mechanical properties for many applications. One approach to overcoming this challenge is to introduce additives that enhance the mechanical properties of PLA while maintaining FDM 3D printability. This review focuses on PLA-based nanocomposites with cellulose, metal-based nanoparticles, continuous fibers, carbon-based nanoparticles, or other additives. These additives impact both the physical properties and printability of the resulting nanocomposites. We also detail the optimal conditions for using these materials in FDM 3D printing. These approaches demonstrate the promise of developing nanocomposites that are both biodegradable and mechanically robust.



Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 4520
Author(s):  
Salman Pervaiz ◽  
Taimur Ali Qureshi ◽  
Ghanim Kashwani ◽  
Sathish Kannan

Composite materials are a combination of two or more types of materials used to enhance the mechanical and structural properties of engineering products. When fibers are mixed in the polymeric matrix, the composite material is known as fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP). FRP materials are widely used in structural applications related to defense, automotive, aerospace, and sports-based industries. These materials are used in producing lightweight components with high tensile strength and rigidity. The fiber component in fiber-reinforced polymers provides the desired strength-to-weight ratio; however, the polymer portion costs less, and the process of making the matrix is quite straightforward. There is a high demand in industrial sectors, such as defense and military, aerospace, automotive, biomedical and sports, to manufacture these fiber-reinforced polymers using 3D printing and additive manufacturing technologies. FRP composites are used in diversified applications such as military vehicles, shelters, war fighting safety equipment, fighter aircrafts, naval ships, and submarine structures. Techniques to fabricate composite materials, degrade the weight-to-strength ratio and the tensile strength of the components, and they can play a critical role towards the service life of the components. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is a technique for 3D printing that allows layered fabrication of parts using thermoplastic composites. Complex shape and geometry with enhanced mechanical properties can be obtained using this technique. This paper highlights the limitations in the development of FRPs and challenges associated with their mechanical properties. The future prospects of carbon fiber (CF) and polymeric matrixes are also mentioned in this study. The study also highlights different areas requiring further investigation in FDM-assisted 3D printing. The available literature on FRP composites is focused only on describing the properties of the product and the potential applications for it. It has been observed that scientific knowledge has gaps when it comes to predicting the performance of FRP composite parts fabricated under 3D printing (FDM) techniques. The mechanical properties of 3D-printed FRPs were studied so that a correlation between the 3D printing method could be established. This review paper will be helpful for researchers, scientists, manufacturers, etc., working in the area of FDM-assisted 3D printing of FRPs.



Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document