Design for Fused Filament Fabrication Additive Manufacturing

Abstract

In this paper, we explore the topic of Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D-printing. This is a low-cost additive manufacturing technology which is typically embodied in consumer-grade desktop 3D printers capable of producing useful parts, structures, and mechanical assemblies. The primary goal of our investigation is to produce an understanding of this process which can be employed to produce high-quality, functional engineered parts and prototypes. By developing this understanding, we create a resource which may be turned to by both researchers in the field of manufacturing science, and industrial professionals who are either considering the use of FFF-enabled technologies such as 3D printing, or those who have already entered production and are optimizing their fabrication process. In order to paint a cohesive picture for these readers, we examine several topic areas. We begin with an overview of the FFF process, its key hardware and software components, and the interrelationships between these components and the designer. With this basis, we then proceed to outline a set of design principles which facilitate the production of high quality printed parts, and discuss the selection of appropriate materials. Following naturally from this, we turn to the question of feedstock materials for FFF, and give advice for their selection and use. We then turn to the subject of the as-printed properties of FFF parts and the strong non-isotropic response that they exhibit. We discuss the root causes of this behavior and means by which its deleterious effects may be mitigated. We conclude by discussing a mixed numerical/experimental technique which we believe will enable the accurate characterization of FFF parts and structures, and greatly enhance the utility of this additive manufacturing technology. By formalizing and discussing these topics, we hope to motivate and enable the serious use of low-cost FFF 3D printing for both research and industrial applications.

Classifying the Dimensional Variation in Additive Manufactured Parts From Laser-Scanned Three-Dimensional Point Cloud Data Using Machine Learning Approaches

“…They concluded that FFF parts routinely showed the poorest dimensional precision compared to other AM processes. The FFF literature is replete with studies on the effect of the process parameters on the surface roughness and strength of the parts [14][15][16][17], but few on dimensional variation.…”

Mechanical Performance of Long-fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites by 3D Printing

“…The bene ts of AM, in offering exibility in design (opening up the pathway to light-weight internal structuring and for part consolidation [8]), and tool-less manufacture (removing the cost burden and extensive lead-time for tooling, especially for low volume manufacture as within the aerospace and niche vehicle land-transport sectors [9]). These capabilities make it a very attractive proposition for these sectors, but uptake has been limited to date due to the poor mechanical properties that are obtained from the polymers [10], with, until relatively recently, no capability for improving mechanical properties through their reinforcement using long or continuous bres.…”

A closed-form orthotropic constitutive model for fused filament fabrication materials

“…However, widespread adoption of FFF for commercial production is still limited. Several limitations are theorized to be reasons driving down commercial demand: long print times [11], coarse surface finish [12], coarse geometric resolution [13], low interlayer bonding strength [14]- [16], and highly anisotropic behavior [17]- [21]. Nonetheless, there are certain applications where FFF is a better fit; for example, the International Space Station operates a FFF machine because it can work in microgravity, the feedstock is relatively nonhazardous, and the printed parts are recyclable [22], [23].…”