3D printing of glass fiber-reinforced polymer composites via multi jet fusion

• Main Author: Aguila, Reyniel Rosale
• Other Authors: Zhou Kun
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2023
• Subjects: Engineering::Manufacturing::Polymers and plastics
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/172637
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Hewlett-Packard (HP) introduced an advanced Three-Dimensional (3D) printing technology, Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) which leverages on the Binder Jetting (BJ) and Power Bed Fusion (PBF) processes which enables rapid and precise production of high-quality parts. Despite the benefits of MJF over other processes, the lack of widespread adoption is mainly due to the limitation of material availability, in particular polymer composites. Glass beads (GB) and glass fibers (GF) reinforced Polyamide 12 (PA12) powder is a potential polymer composite. In this project, the effects of varying fusing irradiance and build orientations on the mechanical properties of GB/GF reinforced PA12 (GB/GF PA12) were investigated. The results derived from the experiments that were conducted in the project indicated that variations in fusing irradiances and build orientations had a more significant impact on tensile properties (such tensile strength and tensile modulus) than on flexural properties (such as flexural strength and flexural modulus) of GB/GF PA12 composites. The tensile strength and tensile modulus increased by 60% and 52% when the fusing irradiances was increased from 0% to 10%, and 72% and 96% when build orientation changed from 0° to 90°. In contrast, the flexural strength and flexural modulus did not experience substantial change.