Researcher(s)
- Allison Munson, Mechanical Engineering, The Ohio State University
Faculty Mentor(s)
- Tyler Van Buren, Mechanical Engineering, University of Delaware
Abstract
Over the last decade, 3D printing has become a prominent manufacturing process, especially Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) where filament is extruded layer by layer to create a finished part. However, FFF has proven to have flaws when it comes to printing watertight parts due to gaps and imperfections in the surface. These are caused by inconsistent bonding between layers. A previous study focused on improving the strength of FFF prints made of PETG, PLA, or ABS through slicer settings, and another experiment examined parameter changes when creating watertight, TPU parts, but there has not been further research on creating watertight parts out of rigid material with a goal of optimizing all printing parameters. This study proposes ways to adjust FFF parameters found in slicing software to increase the adhesion between layers and create a watertight part out of PETG. To test this, PETG cylinders were printed, weighed, and submerged in pressurized water to simulate various depths. After a certain period, the cylinders were weighed again, and the difference between the initial and final weights after each depth were used to find the percentage of its mass it absorbed. Due to resource and time constraints, the results of testing proved to be inadequate, with water from previous tests skewing data. Later tests showed less water absorbed, as the initial weights were too high, and the cylinders reached their full capacity before their time under pressure was up. Despite these setbacks, this study proved that there is more work to be done in creating watertight parts, and future research is better informed based on the errors in this prior testing.