This study intends to analyse the coefficient of friction and wear properties of the acrylonitrile butadiene styrene polymer by determining the optimal parameters for 3D printing. The pin specimens were produced using the fused filament fabrication 3D printing. Response surface methodology is used for the multivariate analysis, and Box–Behnken Design is the chosen symmetrical design method. Changes to the dependent variables, coefficient of friction and wear rate, were analysed as a function of the nozzle temperature, layer height and printing pattern. The coefficient of friction and wear rate were measured using a pin-on-disc tribometer. A good agreement between the modelled and measured values of coefficient of friction and wear rate was observed. The study suggests that layer height affecting coefficient of friction and wear rate most significantly. It is determined that a layer height of 0.10 mm and a nozzle temperature of 234℃ using the triangle printing pattern is the optimal set of combination to minimise coefficient of friction and wear rate.
Purpose
This study aims is to investigate the correlation between tribological and mechanical properties of the fused filament fabrication 3D-printed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) pin with different internal geometries.
Design/methodology/approach
The tribological properties were determined by a dry sliding test with constant test parameters, while the hardness and modulus of elasticity were determined by microhardness and compression tests.
Findings
Although the internal geometry of the pin sample slightly affects the coefficient of friction (COF) and the wear rate of the 3D-printed ABS, it was important to design a lightweight tribo-component by reducing the material used to save energy without compromising the strength of the component. The COF and wear rate values are relatively dependent on the elastic modulus. A 3D-printed ABS pin with an internal triangular flip structure was found to have the shortest run-in period and the lowest COF with high wear resistance. Abrasive wear and delamination are the predominant wear mechanisms involved.
Research limitations/implications
The findings are the subject of future research under various sliding conditions by investigating the synergistic effect of sliding speeds and applied loads to validate the results of this study.
Originality/value
The internal structure affects the mechanical properties and release stress concentration at the contact point, resulting in hypothetically low friction and wear. This approach may also reduce the weight of the parts without scarifying or at least preserving their preceding tribological performance. Therefore, based on our knowledge, limited studies have been conducted for the application of 3D printing in tribology, and most studies focused on improving their mechanical properties rather than correlating them with tribological properties that would benefit longer product lifespans.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-04-2020-0143/
This study proposes the formulation of a novel grease material using biological resources, which displayed satisfactory mechanical and lubrication properties. This bio-grease material was formulated using non-edible vegetable oils (such as castor, neem and jatropha oils), with a beeswax thickener and hexagonal Boron Nitride (hBN) as the nano additive. Thereafter, the optimal formulation of the bio-grease material was conducted using the Taguchi-based Grey Relational Analysis technique. The lubricity and mechanical stability of the formulated bio-grease material was tested with the help of a 4-ball tribometer based on the modified sliding frictional wear test, described in the ASTM D2266 standard. The fundamental wear mechanism occurring between the contact surfaces was also determined by investigating the surface morphology using Scanning Electron Microscopy embedded with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (SEM-EDX). The results of the study indicated that base oil was the most significant factor that affected the Coefficient of Friction (COF) and the mechanical stability loss of the formulated bio-grease. Furthermore, the optimised bio-grease material contained 5 wt.% of thickener in castor oil and showed the lowest COF value of 0.04 and the highest delay in the mechanical stability loss (13,200 s). The acquired results were compared with those of the conventional grease material and observed that the SEM images of conventional grease material showed higher adhesive wear and rougher surface compared to the micrographs of the samples that were lubricated using the optimally-formulated bio-grease material.
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