Research Investigations for Nextgeneration Fused Filament Fabrication 3d Printing Process

Abstract

newlineFor wider adoption of the Fused filament fabrication (FFF)-based additive manufacturing (AM) process, it is important to understand and improve 3D printing process models for designing defect-free 3D printers, mechanical properties of printed parts and the systems for a faster production rate of the machine. It is equally important to explore the application of 3D printing in new areas such as construction industry and, make use of this technology in engineering education for mass mobilization. In this study, we have conducted some studies and experiments to resolve the mentioned problems. The study on computational understanding of FFF identifies the constraints affecting the performance of the FFF AM process and presents mathematical modelling related to various process parameters. Also, developed expressions for pinch wheel feed mechanism, liquefier, and nozzle geometry of the FFF process in terms of independent variables, such as liquefier temperature, nozzle geometry, and feed rate. The study on the performance of different gantry mechanisms was performed. In this study, cartesian, delta, and polar systems are experimentally analyzed and compared. The results show that the delta system-based 3D printer gives better surface finish and dimensional accuracy than polar and cartesian system-based 3D printers whereas the polar system-based 3d printers has the least build. The study on the incorporation of fibres and nanoparticles in polymer matrix is one of the most significant advancements in polymer fabrication. For flexural behavior, infill pattern (IP) contributes 68.27% to CF-PLA, while nozzle diameter (ND) contributes 88.96% to CF-PETG and 77.59% to MWCNTs-PLA. Overall, the highest flexural strength, 70.372MPa, is exhibited by the specimen with ND 0.6mm and rectilinear IP for MWCNTs-PLA. Also, the design of extruder for concrete 3D printer is proposed. The extruder uses an auger which rotates to deposit the concrete and prevent the settling of the concrete. The study on the method of augmenting 3D printing technology into the traditional approach of learning using eight case-studies was performed which involve real industry-based scenarios to develop a product. It was observed that the student s learning, understanding of concept, creativity, imagination, confidence, and designing ability was effectively improved after augmenting 3D printing. newline newline