Fedorishin D., Stone A., Eadie N., Christie L., Schneider P., Oh K.
University at Buffalo, US
Keywords: 3D printing, additive manufacturing, dynamic models, post-processing, surface finishing
Recent advancements in 3D printing have made it a more viable option for rapid and inexpensive modeling of three dimensional (3D) dynamic systems. This shift in modeling techniques comes with inherent issues. The rough finish of raw 3D printed parts can cause dynamic models to stick and bind due to excess friction. This fric- tion can also result in heat related fatigue of the printed parts. Traditional methods of finishing printed parts are labor intensive and involve coating the parts in acrylic or other chemical coatings. We propose using the tech- nique of post-processing 3D printed parts to remove the rough edges with minimal change in the dimensions of the parts. To test our theory, we 3D printed a 1/3 scale replica of an internal combustion engine to prove via- bility. With our experimentation, we have quantified a 38% reduction in surface roughness and a 20% to 50% re- duction in moving resistance after post-processing cycles with PostProcess Technologies™ NITOR™ machine.
Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: TechConnect Briefs 2019
Published: June 17, 2019
Pages: 123 - 126
Industry sector: Advanced Materials & Manufacturing
Topics: 3D Printing, Advanced Manufacturing
ISBN: 978-0-9988782-8-7