The influence of slicing parameters on the multi-material adhesion mechanisms of FDM printed parts: an exploratory study

ABSTRACT

The potentiality of the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) process for multi-material printing has not yet been thoroughly explored in the literature. That is a limitation considering the wide diffusion of dual extruders printers and the possibility of increasing the number of these extruders. An exploratory study, based on tensile tests and performed on double-material butt-joined bars, was thus conceived; the aim was to explore how the adhesion strength between 3 pairs of filaments (TPU-PLA, PLA-CPE, CPE-TPU) is influenced by the material printing order, the type of slicing pattern used for the layers at the interface, and the infill density of the layers below the interface. Results confirm the effectiveness of mechanical interlocking strategies in increasing the adhesion strength even when thermodynamic and diffusion mechanisms of adhesion are not robust enough. Besides, thermal aspects also demonstrated to play a relevant role in influencing the performance of the interface.

KEYWORDS:

• Multi-material printing
• multi-material adhesion
• fused deposition modelling (FDM)
• slicing parameters
• design for additive manufacturing

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Francesco Tamburrino is Postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering of Università di Pisa. His research activities are mainly focused on industrial design, materials science and technology, dental materials, cellular materials and additive manufacturing technologies.

Serena Graziosi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Politecnico di Milano. Her studies are focused on supporting the design of new products/services and on exploring how technologies such as Virtual Reality and Additive Manufacturing, could be exploited to this aim.

Monica Bordegoni is Full Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Politecnico di Milano. Her research activities include Virtual and Physical Prototyping, Multisensory systems, Olfactory Displays, Design for Additive Manufacturing.

ORCID

Francesco Tamburrino http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9106-0663

Serena Graziosi http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6103-9107

Monica Bordegoni http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9378-8295