Effects of fused filament fabrication parameters on the manufacturing of 316L stainless-steel components: geometric and mechanical properties
ISSN: 1355-2546
Article publication date: 30 June 2022
Issue publication date: 14 October 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The extrusion-based additive manufacturing method followed by debinding and sintering steps can produce metal parts efficiently at a relatively low cost and material wastage. In this study, 316L stainless-steel metal filled filaments were used to print metal parts using the extrusion-based fused filament fabrication (FFF) approach. The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of common FFF printing parameters on the geometric and mechanical performance of FFF manufactured 316L stainless-steel components.
Design/methodology/approach
The microstructural characteristics of the metal filled filament, three-dimensional (3D) printed green parts and final sintered parts were analysed. In addition, the dimensional accuracy of the green parts was evaluated, as well as the hardness, tensile properties, relative density, part shrinkage and the porosity of the sintered samples. Moreover, surface quality in terms of surface roughness after sintering was assessed. Predictive models based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) were used for characterizing dimensional accuracy, shrinkage, surface roughness and density. Additionally, the response surface method based on ANNs was applied to represent the behaviour of these parameters and to identify the optimum 3D printing conditions.
Findings
The effects of the FFF process parameters such as build orientation and nozzle diameter were significant. The pore distribution was strongly linked to the build orientation and printing strategy. Furthermore, porosity decreased with increased nozzle diameter, which increased mechanical performance. In contrast, lower nozzle diameters achieved lower roughness values and average deviations. Thus, it should be noted that the modification of process parameters to achieve greater geometrical accuracy weakened mechanical performance.
Originality/value
Near-dense 316L austenitic stainless-steel components using FFF technology were successfully manufactured. This study provides print guidelines and further information regarding the impact of FFF process parameters on the mechanical, microstructural and geometric performance of 3D printed 316L components.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica Técnica y de Innovación), under research grant PID2019–104586RB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and Consejería de Educación, Cultura y Deportes (Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha), under research grants SBPLY/19/180501/000247 and SBPLY/19/180501/000170, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The authors thank TRIDITIVE company and for its technical support.
Citation
Caminero, M.Á., Romero Gutiérrez, A., Chacón, J.M., García-Plaza, E. and Núñez, P.J. (2022), "Effects of fused filament fabrication parameters on the manufacturing of 316L stainless-steel components: geometric and mechanical properties", Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 28 No. 10, pp. 2004-2026. https://doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-01-2022-0023
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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