TY - JOUR A1 - Kuettner, Andreas A1 - Fischer, Samuel A1 - Laumer, Tobias T1 - Mechanical and structural characterization of heat-staked parts realized by selective laser sintering of polyamide 12 JF - The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology N2 - Heat staking is a joining process in which thermoplastic pins are formed by heat and pressure in a form-fitting and insoluble way. This study evaluates the mechanical performance and microstructure of selective laser sintered (SLS) polyamide 12 (PA 12) components before and after heat staking, compared with conventionally turned reference specimens. The components were characterized using tensile tests, micrographs, microscopy, and micro-CT measurements. For the tests, the forces and temperatures during heat staking were varied to determine the best process parameters. Tensile tests revealed that SLS joints achieved strengths of up to 33.6 MPa, approaching the 39.9 MPa of the turned references. Microstructural analysis showed a marked reduction in porosity due to heat staking. Porosity decreased from 3.9% to 1.56% at a staking force of 300 N and from 4.29% to 0.81% at 1000 N, highlighting the beneficial effect of increased force. These results demonstrate that heat staking parameters significantly influence local densification and mechanical performance, and that, under suitable conditions, SLS components can achieve joint strengths comparable to conventionally manufactured parts. The study shows that the heat staking process parameters have a significant influence on the local microstructure and thus on the mechanical performance and provides a basis for optimizing SLS components for new heat staking applications. KW - Additive manufacturing KW - Heat staking KW - Material qualification KW - Polyamid 12 (PA) KW - Selective laser sintering (SLS) Y1 - 2026 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-025-17319-4 PB - Springer ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Raths, Max A1 - Bauer, Lukas A1 - Kuettner, Andreas A1 - Fischer, Samuel A1 - Laumer, Tobias T1 - Gradual error detection technique for non-destructive assessment of density and tensile strength in fused filament fabrication processes JF - The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology N2 - Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is a widely used additive manufacturing process for producing functional components and prototypes. The FFF process involves depositing melted material layer-by-layer to build up 3D physical parts. The quality of the final product depends on several factors, including the component density and tensile strength, which are typically determined through destructive testing methods. X-ray microtomography (XCT) can be used to investigate the pore sizes and distribution. These approaches are time-consuming, costly, and wasteful, making it unsuitable for high-volume manufacturing. In this paper, a new method for non-destructive determination of component density and estimation of the tensile strength in FFF processes is proposed. This method involves the use of gradual error detection by sensors and convolutional neural networks. To validate this approach, a series of experiments has been conducted. Component density and tensile strength of the printed specimens with varying extrusion factor were measured using traditional destructive testing methods and XCT. The cumulative error detection method was used to predict the same properties without destroying the specimens. The predicted values were then compared with the measured values, and it was observed that the method accurately predicted the component density and tensile strength of the tested parts. This approach has several advantages over traditional destructive testing methods. The method is faster, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly since it does not require the destruction of the product. Moreover, it facilitates the testing of each individual part instead of assuming the same properties for components from one series. Additionally, it can provide real-time feedback on the quality of the product during the manufacturing process, allowing for adjustments to be made as needed. The advancement of this approach points toward a future trend in non-destructive testing methodologies, potentially revolutionizing quality assurance processes not only for consumer goods but various industries such as electronics or automotive industry. Moreover, its broader applications extend beyond FFF to encompass other additive manufacturing techniques such as selective laser sintering (SLS), or electron beam melting (EBM). A comparison between the old destructive testing methods and this innovative non-destructive approach underscores the possible fundamental change toward more efficient and sustainable manufacturing practices. This approach has the potential to significantly reduce the time and cost associated with traditional destructive testing methods while ensuring the quality of FFF-manufactured products. KW - Error detection KW - Additive manufacturing KW - Fused filament fabrication KW - Artificial neural network KW - Image processing KW - Porosity Y1 - 2024 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-024-13280-w SN - 1433-3015 SN - 0268-3768 N1 - Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. IS - 131 SP - 4149 EP - 4163 PB - Springer CY - London ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Laumer, Tobias A1 - Stichel, Thomas A1 - Amend, Philipp A1 - Schmidt, Michael A1 - Gachot, A. T1 - Simultaneous Energy Deposition for Laser Beam Melting of Polymers T2 - Proceedings of the Polymer Processing Society 29th Annual Meeting, Nürnberg, 2013 Y1 - 2013 PB - American Institute of Physics CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kuettner, Andreas A1 - Raths, Max A1 - Fischer, Samuel A1 - Laumer, Tobias T1 - Heat staking of polymer parts generated by fused layer modeling JF - The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology N2 - Heat staking is a joining technology by which thermoplastic pins are formed by force and temperature to create a form- and force-fitting connection between components. This paper examines the characteristics of 3D printed pins in comparison to conventionally turned pins for heat staking applications. The 3D printed pins are created using fused layer modeling, with variations in horizontal and vertical building directions, as well as different layer thicknesses. The study investigates the impact of significant factors on the heat staking process, including the forming force and temperature. Tensile tests, micrographs, and micro-CT measurements were conducted to determine the properties of the heat-staked joints. Additionally, a stage plan was developed to enhance the understanding of the forming process of both printed and conventionally turned materials. The findings suggest that, under specific process parameters, 3D printed pins exhibit comparable strength to conventionally manufactured pins. The research also demonstrates that the anisotropy resulting from the layer-by-layer construction of the pins significantly influences the strength of the connection. Furthermore, the study reveals that 3D printed pins exhibit good forming accuracy during the heat staking process, and the cavities formed during printing can be substantially reduced. KW - Heat staking KW - Additive manufacturing KW - 3D printing KW - Material qualification KW - Polycarbonate (PC) KW - Fused layer modeling (FLM) Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-023-11850-y VL - 128 SP - 547 EP - 562 PB - Springer Nature ER -