Energy consumption optimization with geometric accuracy consideration for fused filament fabrication processes

Abstract

Due to the unique capability of producing parts with complex geometries and functionally graded materials, additive manufacturing (AM) is taking the leading role in the “third industrial revolution” and has attracted significant attentions in multiple industrial sectors. Part quality and energy consumption are two highly interdependent outcomes, and thus it is difficult to improve one without changing the other. However, to the best of our knowledge, prior pertinent studies usually considered and optimized quality and energy consumption individually. This proposed study aims to (1) obtain a fundamental quantitative relationship between AM process design parameters and AM part quality as well as process energy consumption, and (2) develop a general framework to optimize energy consumption in AM fabrication without compromising part quality (i.e., geometric accuracy). Linear regression models are used to capture the relationship between process design parameters and the part quality and energy consumption, respectively. Then, a non-linear optimization framework is proposed to minimize the energy consumption on the part level given specific quality requirements. A case study developed based on a fused filament fabrication (FFF) process and a specific part design is used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology. The effects of quality requirements on the optimal energy consumption solution are also explored in the case study.