Papers by Keyword: Filament

Abstract: This study investigates the functional groups of 3D printing material filaments made from biocomposites using polymers and natural fibers, analyzed through FTIR spectroscopy. The process of making 3D printing filament uses the extrusion method with a single extrusion machine. The integration of natural fibers into polymer matrices provides a sustainable alternative for 3D printing materials, improving mechanical properties while reducing environmental impact. FTIR analysis revealed significant interactions between polymer and fiber components, identifying key functional groups such as hydroxyl and carbonyl that are critical for performance. Functional groups such as hydroxyl (-OH) and carbonyl (C=O) significantly influence the quality of biocomposites through their impact on the material's mechanical, thermal, and interfacial properties. These findings provide insight into the structure-property relationship of these materials, demonstrating their potential for sustainable 3D printing applications.

Abstract: Biocomposites are of great interest today in the development of fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printing filament. The hydrophilic nature of natural fibers limits the reaction between the polymer matrix and the fiber which has driven researchers to search for alternatives. Traditional methods such as injection molding have proven that polylactic acid (PLA) and peanut hull (PH) can be combined. However, producing a good combination of PLA and biocomposites remains a challenge. In this work, the combination of PLA and PH using a twin-extruder to create a FFF 3D printer compatible filament was explored. The highest yield strength of the combination is 70 wt.% PLA and 30 wt.% PH. The average tensile strength and flexural strength produced by PLA/PH is 16.239 MPa and 25.7299 MPa. Using the differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis the composite indicated a reduction in tensile and flexural strength. The mix has a glass transition temperature of 58.92 °C, which is lower than other composites, thus giving faster degradation. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of incorporating PH into PLA, although further optimization is needed to improve the mechanical and thermal stability of the resulting biocomposite filament.

Abstract: Fused filament fabrication (FFF) has nowadays become a popular 3-dimensional (3D) printing technique for the fabrication of polymeric components with customized and complex-shape design, including biomedical implants. However, the use of this technique is often constrained by the limited number of polymeric materials that can be printed to form the final product. Despite excellent wear resistance and widely used as the acetabular component of a joint prosthesis, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is among such the rarely-found filament material in the market. In this research, preliminary work to fabricate UHMWPE filament for the FFF processing is carried out by using extrusion. The influences of extrusion temperature, addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG), and rotational speed of the extruder’s screw on the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of the extruded UHMWPE filament were determined. The result demonstrated no change in the chemical compositions of the filament due to the processing parameters applied, as noted from the FTIR spectra. The result of the tensile test showed that the highest tensile strength of UHMWPE filaments could reach 23.5 MPa.

Abstract: This study investigates the effect of a chain extender on the properties of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) for 3D printing filament. The research focuses on the melt flow index (MFI), mechanical properties, thermal behavior, and crystallinity of rPET blends with varying chain extender concentrations. MFI analysis reveals that the viscosity of rPET is influenced by the grade and sources of the PET bottles. The addition of the chain extender decreases MFI, indicating increased viscosity. Mechanical testing shows a slight decrease in impact strength with increasing chain extender concentration, suggesting the presence of limitations or constraints within the material. Thermal analysis demonstrates that the chain extender elevates the glass transition temperature (T_g) and melting temperature (T_m) of rPET, indicating enhanced rigidity and thermal resistance. However, the crystallinity (X_c) decreases as the chain extender disrupts the regular packing of polymer chains within the crystalline regions. These findings provide valuable insights into the influence of the chain extender on the properties of rPET for 3D printing filament. The research contributes to the development of sustainable manufacturing practices and promotes the utilization of recycled materials in additive manufacturing applications, furthering the goals of the circular economy and environmental sustainability.

Abstract: Additive manufacturing can be utilized to harness developments in polymer research. This study aims to investigate the effect of Philippine halloysite on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) filament for 3D printing using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). PLA-based filaments with halloysite powders were prepared by melt-compounding using a twin-screw extruder. The chemical composition and morphology of the halloysite powder was determined using XRD and SEM, respectively. Composite filament with 3% halloysite (PLA/HSC) was developed and characterized. The thermal properties of pure PLA and PLA/HSC were measured using DSC and TGA. CAD files for XRD analysis and tensile tests were generated using SolidWorks computer software (Dassault Systemes). Printability of pure PLA and the composite filament was observed by using Ultimaker S5 3D printer. The effect on chemical composition and mechanical performance of the 3D printed specimens was evaluated using XRD and UTM, respectively. XRD result confirmed the presence of dehydrated halloysite clay mineral. SEM image revealed the spherical morphology of the halloysite powder with average particle size of 72.472 nm. DSC analysis showed that incorporation of halloysite powder filaments had slightly decreased the glass transition of pure PLA matrix. This could be attributed to the enhanced mobility of polymeric chains by plasticization. Moreover, the melting temperature of PLA/HSC composite has slightly higher value than pure PLA filament owing to increased crystallinity imparted by the halloysite particles. With high stability of halloysite at elevated temperatures, the thermal stability of PLA/HSC filament was also enhanced. Mechanical performance of pure PLA was also improved with addition of halloysite. The tensile strength and elastic modulus of pure PLA matrix increased by 180.32% and 143.96%, respectively which could be due to the formation of hydrogen bonds between PLA matrix and halloysite particles. Digital micrographs of the fractured surface reveal that tensile pieces predominantly ruptured by brittle fracture.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to assess feasibility of applying shellac as a biopolymer filament for using in fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing. The shellac matrices were prepared through hot melt process by heating the ground shellac samples at 80°C in a silicone oil bath under continuous stirring for 15 min. Accelerated stability testing (annealing process) was also performed in order to evaluated thermal stability by re-heating shellac matrices at 80 °C for 12 h and 24 h in a hot air oven. The shellac matrices and annealed shellac matrices were then comparatively characterized. In the present study, all shellac matrices were investigated for physical appearance, acid value, insoluble solid, moisture content and also characterized by instrument analysis including Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffractometry (PXRD) and thermal analysis. The results demonstrated that shellac with initial heat (80°C, 15 min) and annealed at 80°C for 12 h had similar properties except the annealed shellac at 80°C for 24 h which shown the lower acid value and formed insoluble solid. The melting temperature, decomposition temperature and melting enthalpy of shellac were around 63-64°C, over than 200°C and 23 J/g, respectively. Furthermore, the extruded filament based on shellac was achieved by hot melt extrusion (HME) technique. The findings revealed that the shellac properties might be suitable to fabricate FDM filaments.

Abstract: The paper considers the dependence of the strength properties of 3D-printed parts on FDM printing modes (temperature and speed), as well as the layer arrangement. PETG (polyethylene glycol terephthalate) based filament was chosen as the basis. A 3D printer was used to produce samples with strictly defined orientation of layers — longitudinal and transverse tensile force at different temperature and printing speed. The experiment has established the effect of these two factors on the tensile strength. The strength of the samples printed transversely was higher than the strength of samples printed longitudinally. This indicates a higher interlayer adhesion.

Abstract: The article contains the analysis of thermoplastics used in prototyping machine parts. We used several types of experimental samples with different filling percentages. The equipment on which the experimental studies were carried out is shown. During the experiment, a specialized tensile testing machine was used. The experimental samples were installed in the developed centering device. Normal conditions were observed during the tests. The results of an experimental tensile study of PLA-plastic specimens are presented. The typical stress-strain diagram of an experimental sample is described, which describes the dependence of stress on relative deformation. An equation of the linear dependence of the tensile strength on the percentage of filament filling has been compiled, which makes it possible to determine the tensile strength of the product at any percentage of the filling of the plastic filament. The assessment is adequately verified by Fisher's criterion. Recommendations for filament filling in prototyping machine parts are given.

Abstract: In this work, to reduce the cost of production of parts using injection molding metal technology (MIM technology), it is proposed to use additive technologies (AT) for the manufacture of green parts. The use of AT allows us to abandon expensive molds and expand the field of use of the MIM of technology in single and small-scale production. For manufacture of green parts, the technology of manufacturing fused filament (Fused Filament Fabrication – FFF) is offered. The original composition of the metal powder mix (feedstock) and the filament manufacturing modes for 3D printing have been developed for the FFF technology. The cost of filament is much lower than its analogs. The factors affecting the print quality of green part are considered. All factors are divided into two groups depending on the possibility of their change during printing. The research of the influence of the coefficient filament supply on the geometry of green parts during 3D printing is presented.

Abstract: This paper deals with the analyzing and comparing the thermal performance of heat dissipation system and other components in the design of E3D liquefier using Finite Element Modeling (FEM) for three different filaments namely Polycaprolactone (PCL), polylactic acid (PLA) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene(ABS). This work evaluates the influence of airflow generated by means of a fan coupled to the extruder. The printable materials are also taken as variable in this investigation. The heating process should ensure the balance between proper heating of the material and controlling the temperature along the extruding body, so it reaches above 140 degrees in function of raw material on the tip of the nozzle and must be lower at the top of the liquefier for the correct perseveration of the 3D printer and its durability.