Parameter Optimization of the ARBURG Plastic Freeforming Process by Means of a Design of Experiments Approach

Lukas Hentschel, Sandra Petersmann, Joamin Gonzalez-Gutierrez, Frank Kynast, Ute Schäfer, Florian Arbeiter, Clemens Holzer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Additive manufacturing finds more applications every day, especially in medical devices, ranging from models, tools, to implants. The fabricated parts have to withstand the mechanical loading applied during their lifetime. Hence, optimization of process parameters must be performed to reach the best performance of the manufactured part with the given polymer. A fractional design of experiments is performed with the ARBURG plastic freeforming using a medical-grade poly (methyl methacrylate) to improve the overall mechanical performance. Tensile specimens are produced, tested, and the impact of different parameter settings is analyzed to identify the factors with the highest impact on the mechanical performance. Based on the results, further parameter optimization is performed. A direct correlation between the density and the tensile properties of the printed parts is observed. Further, an influence of the processing pressure resulting from changes in the processing temperature is detected. Optimization for good mechanical performance is performed, and a relation between the filling of the parts, the nozzle temperature, and the discharge pressure on to the tensile properties is found. This investigation reveals that shrinkage due to changes in temperature and pressure has an essential role in determining the tensile properties of specimens produced by ARBURG plastic freeforming.
Original languageEnglish
Article number2200279
Number of pages11
Journal Advanced engineering materials
Volume24.2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 31 May 2022

Bibliographical note

This work was supported by the project CAMed (COMET K‐Project 871132) funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) and the Austrian Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs (BMDW) and the Styrian Business Promotion Agency (SFG). The authors would like to thank especially the project partners ARBURG GmbH for providing the additive manufacturing device and the company Roehm GmbH for their material supply. The authors would like to thank Thomas Steinert for preparing some of the samples used for this work.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors. Advanced Engineering Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.

Keywords

  • ARBURG plastic freeforming
  • design of experiments
  • mechanical properties
  • parameter optimization
  • poly (methyl methacrylate)

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