This paper presents the result of a study evaluating the influence of alternative path generation strategy on structure and some mechanical properties of parts produced by Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology. Several scientific investigations focused on resolving issues in FDM parts by modifying a path generation strategy to optimize its mechanical properties. In this study, an alternative strategy was proposed with the intention of minimizing internal voids and, thus, to improve mechanical properties. Polycarbonate samples made by this alternative path generation strategy were subjected to tensile strength test and metro-tomography structure evaluation. The results reveal that the structure observed on build models differs from a structure expected from path generation predicted by software Insight 9.1. This difference affected the tensile strength of samples.

Manufacturing companies are now placing great emphasis on competitiveness and looking for ways to utilise their resources more efficiently. This paper presents optimum efficiency improvement of the automotive transmission assembly production line by using line balancing. 3 assembly stations were selected to optimize where waste management requirements are not met for achieving the production capacity. Several measures were proposed on the assembly lines concerned to reduce operations by using eliminating unnecessary activities of the assembly processes, reducing the cycle time, and balancing manpower workload using line balancing through Yamazumi chart and Takt time. The results of the proposed measures were compared with the current situation in terms of increasing the efficiency of the production line.

No abstract

No abstract

As a part of a more comprehensive research project, the present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of the type and content of blowing agents in the polymeric materials being processed on the structure and selected physical and mechanical properties of the obtained extrusion parts. In the experiment, the content of the blowing agent (0-2.0% by mass), fed into the processed polymer were adopted as a variable factor. In the studies presented in the article, the blowing agents of endothermic decomposition characteristics (Hydrocerol BIH 70, Hydrocerol BM 70) and the exothermic decomposition characteristics (PLC 751) occurring in the granulated form with a diameter of 1.2 to 1.8 mm were used. Based on the results of investigating porosity, porous structure image analysis as well as microscopic examination of the structure, it has been found that the favorable content of the blowing agent in the polymeric material should be of up to 0.8% by mass. With such a content of the blowing agent in the polymeric material, favorable strength properties are retained in porous parts, the pore distribution is uniform and the pores have similar sizes.