BICOMPONENT ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING OF POLYMERS-A REVIEW

Abstract

Bi-component 3D printing technology is an important topic for researchers worldwide, as it expands the field of use of multi-material parts/parts. Such products can present varied mechanical, thermal and structural properties, from elasticity to stiffness, from stability at lower to higher temperatures, etc., thus finding their applicability for a wider range of applications compared to samples printed from a single material. A very often used 3D printing technique, due to the multiple advantages it offers, is FDM-Fused Deposition Modeling. Through 3D printing, complex interfaces can be built with a large contact surface, which gives parts greater strength and a reduced likelihood of defects by eliminating existing stresses. The choice of interface design must take into account the end use of the resulting product, as tensile, compressive, shear and flexural strength is particularly important in butt joints. This study aims to investigate the influence of the interface type on the mechanical characteristics of the printed object. This will be achieved by finite element analysis. The proposed interface types to be studied are as follows: T-shape; U-shape; swallowtail shape; mirrored inverted shape; trapezoidal teeth. According to the results obtained, the type of interface that performed the best is the T-mirror interface.