Labor Additive and Intelligent Manufacturing for Sustainability (AIMS)
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In this paper, first results regarding the realization of laser-based hot-melt bonding of additive manufactured plastics parts to metal sheets for strong and tight multi-material joints are presented. Compared to earlier investigations, in which nearly solely extruded plastic materials were applied, the use of additive manufactured plastics complements the research field with a promising approach. Besides the typical advantages of multi-material joints regarding weight reduction and high strengths, such parts can meet the needs of constructional freedom and the avoiding of tool costs. Materials used for this paper are aluminum (AlMg3), stainless steel (1.4301) and polyamide 12 (PA12). The performed experiments resulting in multi-material joints between metal and polyamide. The realized specimens undergo a tensile shear test and a tightness test, in which the characteristics of the joints are determined.
The use of thermoplastics in lightweight construction is continuing to grow. This implies the need for suitable joining techniques to combine thermoplastics with other materials, such as metals, to gain tailored multi-material parts. In this paper latest results of experimental investigations on laser-based hot-melt bonding and injection molding for laser-structured metal plastic hybrids are presented. As materials stainless steel and short-fiber reinforced polyamide are used. The stainless steel surface is structured with a nanosecond pulse laser before joining to improve the mechanical adhesion between the dissimilar materials. Thereby, different structure depths in the range between 16.6 ± 1.2 µm and 66.5 ± 2.5 µm as well as different hatch distances between 70 and 300 µm are realized. The laser-based joining process is carried out irradiating the metallic surface multiple times. Positioned below the metal in T-joint configuration, the thermoplastic melts as a result of heat transfer and acts as hot-melt cohesive. Besides, hybrid joints are manufactured using injection molding. For experiments, the mold temperature as well as the melt temperature are varied. Regardless of the joining process, the hybrid joints are mechanically characterized by tensile tests. The results demonstrate that for both joining processes strong laser-structured metal plastic hybrids can be realized.
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the processability of cohesive PE-HD particles in laser beam melting processes (LBM) of polymers. Furthermore, we present a characterization method for polymer particles, which can predict the quality of the powder deposition via LBM processes. Design/methodology/approach – This study focuses on the application of dry particle coating processes to increase flowability and bulk density of PE-HD particles. Both has been measured and afterwards validated via powder deposition of PE-HD particles in a LBM machine. Findings – For efficient coating in a dry particle coating process, the PE-HD particles and the attached nanoparticles need to show similar surface chemistry, i.e. both need to behave either hydrophobic or hydrophilic. It is demonstrated that dry particle coating is appropriate to enhance flowability and bulk density of PE-HD particles and hence considerably improves LBM processes and the resulting product quality. Originality/value – At present, in LBM processes mainly polyamide (PA), 12 particles are used, which are so far quite expensive in comparison to, for example, PE-HD particles. This work provides a unique and versatile method for nanoparticulate surface modification which may be applied to a wide variety of materials. After the coating, the particles are applicable for the LBM process. Our results provide a correlation between flowability and bulk density and the resulting product quality.
Laser transmission welding is a well-known joining technology for welding thermoplastics. Although the process is already used industrially, fundamental process-structure-property relationships are not fully understood and are therefore the subject of current research. One aspect of these mentioned process-structure-property relationships is the interaction between the temperature field during the welding process, the weld seam morphology of semi-crystalline thermoplastics, and the weld seam strength. In this study, the influence of the line energy on the weld seam morphology of polypropylenes is analyzed. For this purpose, the size of spherulites in the weld seam is investigated, as well as different occurring phases of polypropylene (a- and b-phase). It is shown that both the spherulite size of the a-phase and the amount of b-phase increase with increasing line energy. For the explanation and discussion of the results, a temperature-dependent thermal simulation model is used to derive characteristic attributes of the temperature field (maximum temperatures, cooling rates, temperature gradients).
Laser transmission welding is a non-contact and efficient process technology for joining thermoplastic polymers. In the conventional process, laser sources in the wavelength range of 1 μm are usually used. Therefore, most of the laser radiation is transmitted through the upper joining partner and absorbed only in the lower joining partner. As a result, the possibilities to influence the temperature field especially in the upper joining partner are limited. To overcome these limitations, an additional thulium fiber-laser with a wavelength of 1.94 μm is used in this study and coaxially aligned with a diode laser. The use of an additional thulium fiber-laser leads to a significant absorption in the upper joining partner. Through this approach, it is shown that the temperature field and the weld seam geometry can be influenced by using these two different discrete laser wavelengths. Depending on the intensity distribution of both lasers, an increase of the size of the heat affected zone in the upper joining partner can be observed. In order to develop a better process understanding, a thermal finite element model is built up and verified by comparing the calculated size of the heat affected zone for different process parameters with the experimental data. The model is able to represent the influence of both laser sources on the temperature field and is used to calculate characteristics of the temperature field, such as maximum temperatures or cooling rates. The characteristics are then used to explain the weld seam morphology, such as occurrence and size of spherulitic structures in the weld seam.
Due to the growing number of applications for Additive Manufacturing (AM), an increasing need for enhanced quality control methods exists. Here optical measurement techniques are often used for in-situ monitoring in AM. There is a great potential to standardize and improve applications of optical measurement devices in accordance to the increasing requirements of measuring tasks. Beside the optical material qualifications, especially process-oriented changes in optical effects are of great relevance for in-situ evaluations. The optical modifications may be attributed to aggregate specific phase transitions coming along with variable emitted wavelengths. A measuring setup with two integrations spheres and a heated process chamber have been developed to analyze the optical interactions of laser radiation and visual illumination with the powder. The process oriented analysis for selective laser sintering lead to improved operating conditions in the field of in-situ measurements in combination with an accurate evaluation of the absorption ratio of the examined powder.
A new approach to coat PA12 powders with laser-generated nanoparticles for selective laser sintering
(2018)
The modification of selective laser sintering (SLS) powder materials by nanoadditives offers the possibility to adapt the powder properties to the laser sintering process or the resulting part properties. To avoid agglomeration of the nanofiller, a new approach in which surfactant-free laser-generated colloidal nanoparticles are adsorbed onto the polymer surface directly in an aqueous solution is demonstrated. Based on this novel approach, polyamide 12 (PA12) powders are decorated with metal and oxide nanoparticles and processed via SLS. Electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning imaging are utilized to analyze the dispersion of the filler.
Comparison between the optical properties of injection molded and additive manufactured components
(2018)
Fused Layer Manufacturing (FLM) is an additive technology based on polymer material extrusion. Due to variations in temperature during the manufacturing process and the resulting stress between the stacked layers, the final parts show anisotropic mechanical properties. One possible approach for their reduction is the immediate local preheating of the surface via laser radiation. At first, our research examines the influence of laser parameters as wavelength, power, velocity and area of impact for the preheating of the surface. In addition, an overview of possible parameter combinations is given based on the selection of raw materials, its colors, thicknesses and the manufacturing process. Initially, the absorption level of the materials regarding the emitted wavelength is detected using a spectrophotometer. Subsequently, preheating tests are conducted with different laser types while the temperature is determined by a thermal camera. The selected laser type is planned to get mounted on a prototype-machine for further in-situ preheating experiments on FLM parts during the manufacturing process.
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.
Simultaneous laser beam melting (SLBM) allows the direct realization of multi-material components consisting of different polymer materials by a single Additive Manufacturing (AM) process. To achieve a high compound strength between different materials by adhesive bonding, a common boundary zone based on diffusion of the macromolecules is necessary and thus, both materials needs to be compatible regarding their specific adhesion compatibility. However, by SLBM also incompatible polymers can be processed to multi-material parts. If two incompatible polymers are processed, a positive locking between the different materials is necessary to achieve a connection between the materials. The positive locking results of a random mixture process of the different powder materials during the powder deposition process by a two chamber recoater system, which leads to the forming of undercuts of one material in the other during the melting and recrystallization. In this paper, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and polypropylene (PP) powders, which are incompatible, are processed to multi-material specimens. By qualifying basic material properties, their influence on the process and especially on the forming of undercuts in the boundary zone is analyzed. To also allow the analysis of the influence of both material and process parameters on the resulting part properties, tensile test specimens are built and their tensile strength is determined. Additionally, cross sections of the boundary zone are prepared and analyzed by microscope images.