Jones, Jason Blair, Wimpenny, D. I. and Gibbons, Gregory John (2015) Additive manufacturing under pressure. Rapid Prototyping Journal, 21 (1). pp. 89-97. doi:10.1108/RPJ-02-2013-0016

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Abstract

Purpose:

This paper aims to investigate the effects on material properties of layer-by-layer application of pressure during fabrication of polymeric parts by additive manufacturing (AM). Although AM, also known popularly as 3D printing, has set a new standard for ease of use and minimal restraint on geometric complexity, the mechanical part properties do not generally compare with conventional manufacturing processes. Contrary to other types of polymer processing, AM systems do not normally use (in-process) pressure during part consolidation.

Design/methodology/approach:

Tensile specimens were produced in Somos 201 using conventional laser sintering (LS) and selective laser printing (SLP) – a process under development in the UK, which incorporates the use of pressure to assist layer consolidation.

Findings:

Mechanical testing demonstrated the potential to additively manufacture parts with significantly improved microstructure and mechanical properties which match or exceed conventional processing. For example, the average elongation at break and ultimate tensile strength of a conventionally laser-sintered thermoplastic elastomer (Somos 201) increased from 136 ± 28 per cent and 4.9 ± 0.4 MPa, to 513 ± 35 per cent and 10.4 ± 0.4 MPa, respectively, when each layer was fused with in-process application of pressure (126 ± 9 kPa) by SLP.

Research limitations/implications:

These results are based on relatively small sample size, but despite this, the trends observed are of significant importance to the elimination of voids and porosity in polymeric parts.

Practical implications:

Layerwise application of pressure should be investigated further for defect elimination in AM.

Originality/value:

This is the first study on the effects of layerwise application of pressure in combination with area-wide fusing.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	T Technology > TS Manufactures
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > WMG (Formerly the Warwick Manufacturing Group)
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Three-dimensional printing, Manufacturing processes
Journal or Publication Title:	Rapid Prototyping Journal
Publisher:	Emerald Group Publishing Limited
ISSN:	1355-2546
Official Date:	19 January 2015
Dates:	Date Event 19 January 2015 Published
Volume:	21
Number:	1
Number of Pages:	9
Page Range:	pp. 89-97
DOI:	10.1108/RPJ-02-2013-0016
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
Funder:	Sixth Framework Programme (European Commission) (FP6)
Grant number:	507437 (FP6)

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