An experimental examination on surface finish of FDM 3D printed parts

Abstract

Three-Dimensional (3D) printing, also known as Additive Manufacturing (AM) and Rapid Prototyping (RP), is a technology that takes information from a computer-aided design and prints it on a 3D printer, which creates a solid object by building up successive layers of material. This technique allows customizations and helps to develop tools that perfectly adapt to the required workspace. The material being added can be in the form of solid, liquid, or powder. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is a method of AM where layers of materials are fused in a pattern to create an object. The material is usually melted and then extruded in a pattern next to or on top of previous extrusions, creating an object layer by layer. This process is used for modeling and prototyping functional and non-functional parts which are further used for various industrial applications. The major drawback associated with this technique is poor surface finish and dimensional inaccuracy of prototypes. In the present research work, the effect of various process parameters on the surface roughness of Polylactic Acid (PLA) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) samples produced from the FDM process is studied. Also, the samples are subjected to vapor smoothing to improve the surface roughness. The results of the present studies highlight that layer height and wall thickness are dominant factors affecting surface roughness. When ABS samples were subjected to acetone vapor smoothing, there was a noticeable improvement in the surface finish of the samples.