A Methodological Framework for Assessing the Influence of Process Parameters on Strand Stability and Functional Performance in Fused Filament Fabrication

• Published in: Materials Vol. 16; no. 24; p. 7530
• Main Authors: Gkartzou, Eleni, Kontiza, Artemis, Zafeiris, Konstantinos, Mantzavinou, Elena, Charitidis, Costas A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 06.12.2023
• Subjects: Composite materials; Computed tomography; Deviation; Dimensional analysis; Electrical resistivity; Fused deposition modeling; Interfaces; Knowledge management; Manufacturing; Material properties; Mechanical properties; Optical microscopy; Optimization; Polymers; Process parameters; Raw materials; Stability analysis; Structural members; Temperature; additive manufacturing; micro-computed tomography; conductive filaments; electrical resistivity; fused filament fabrication
• ISSN: 1996-1944; 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma16247530

With an ever-increasing material and design space available for Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) technology, fabrication of complex three-dimensional structures with functional performance offers unique opportunities for product customization and performance-driven design. However, ensuring the quality and functionality of FFF-printed parts remains a significant challenge, as material-, process-, and system-level factors introduce variability and potentially hinder the translation of bulk material properties in the respective FFF counterparts. To this end, the present study presents a methodological framework for assessing the influence of process parameters on FFF strand stability and functional performance through a systematic analysis of FFF structural elements (1D stacks of FFF strands and 3D blocks), in terms of dimensional deviation from nominal geometry and resistivity, corresponding to the printability and functionality attributes, respectively. The influence of printing parameters on strand stability was investigated in terms of dimensional accuracy and surface morphology, employing optical microscopy and micro-computed tomography (mCT) for dimensional deviation analysis. In parallel, electrical resistance measurements were carried out to assess the effect of different process parameter combinations and toolpath patterns on functional performance. In low-level structural elements, strand height (H) was found to induce the greatest influence on FFF strand dimensional accuracy and resistivity, with higher H values leading to a reduction in resistivity of up to 38% in comparison with filament feedstock; however, this occurred at the cost of increased dimensional deviation. At higher structural levels, the overall effect of process parameters was found to be less pronounced, indicating that the translation of 1D strand properties to 3D blocks is subject to a trade-off due to competing mechanisms that facilitate/hinder current flow. Overall, the proposed framework enables the quantification of the influence of process parameters on the selected response variables, contributing to the development of standard operating procedures and recommendations for selecting optimal process parameters to achieve the desired process stability and functional performance in FFF.