Effect of Thermal Shock Conditions on the Low-Cycle Fatigue Performance of 3D-Printed Materials: Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, Acrylonitrile-Styrene-Acrylate, High-Impact Polystyrene, and Poly(lactic acid).

3D printing technology is becoming a widely adopted alternative to traditional polymer manufacturing methods. The most important advantage of 3D printing over traditional manufacturing methods, such as injection molding or extrusion, is the short time from the creation of a new design to the finished product. Nevertheless, 3D-printed parts generally have lower strength and lower durability compared to the same parts manufactured using traditional methods. Resistance to the environmental conditions in which a 3D-printed part operates is important to its durability. One of the most important factors that reduces durability and degrades the mechanical properties of 3D-printed parts is temperature, especially rapid temperature changes. In the case of inhomogeneous internal geometry and heterogeneous material properties, rapid temperature changes can have a significant impact on the degradation of 3D-printed parts. This degradation is more severe in high-humidity environments. Under these complex service conditions, information on the strength and fatigue behavior of 3D-printed polymers is limited. In this study, we evaluated the effects of high humidity and temperature changes on the durability and strength properties of 3D-printed parts. Samples made of commonly available materials such as ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), ASA (Acrylonitrile-Styrene-Acrylate), HIPS (High-Impact Polystyrene), and PLA (Poly(lactic acid)) were subjected to temperature cycling, from an ambient temperature to -20 °C, and then were heated to 70 °C. After thermal treatment, the samples were subjected to cyclic loading to determine changes in their fatigue life relative to non-thermally treated reference samples. The results of cyclic testing showed a decrease in durability for samples made of ASA and HIPS. The ABS material proved to be resistant to the environmental effects of shocks, while the PLA material exhibited an increase in durability. Changes in the internal structure and porosity of the specimens under temperature changes were also evaluated using microcomputed tomography (microCT). Temperature changes also affected the porosity of the samples, which varied depending on the material used.

Change in the Low-Cycle Performance on the 3D-Printed Materials ABS, ASA, HIPS, and PLA Exposed to Mineral Oil.

Three-dimensionally printed parts are increasingly used in industry for quick repairs. They are often operated in the presence of grease, oil, and others. This article describes the effect of engine mineral oil on the fatigue life of 3D-printed FDM plastic samples. For this reason, this article aimed to investigate the influence of oil on the fatigue life of materials made using this technology. Samples made of ABA, ASA, PLA, and HIPS materials were printed with 100% fill. Divided into groups, they were stored for 15, 30, and 60 days in an oil bath at a room temperature of 23 °C and an increased temperature of 70 °C. To compare the effect of storage in oil, static tests were performed to determine the tensile strength of the specimens and to determine the load levels for the cyclic tests. Cyclic tests were performed to determine the effect of oil and temperature on the fatigue life. Internal structure studies of the specimens were performed using computed microtomography to determine the changes in the porosity of the specimens under the influence of oil. In the case of ABS, the oil-bathed samples showed a clear increase in the fatigue life, especially at 23 °C. For the ASA specimens, an increase was also evident, especially for the lower stress value. For HIPS and PLA, no clear effect of the oil bath on the fatigue life value of the samples was determined. Porosity studies using computed microtomography showed a clear decrease in the porosity of the samples as a result of the oil bath for all of them.

Manufacturing Elements with Small Cross-Sections of 17-4 PH Steel (1.4542) with the Application of the DMLS Additive Manufacturing Method.

The application of direct metal laser sintering renders it possible to manufacture models with complex geometries. However, there are certain limits to the application of this method connected with manufacturing thin-walled cuboidal elements, as well as cylinders and holes with small diameters. The principal objective of the research was to determine the accuracy of manufacturing geometries with small cross-sections and the possibility of application in heat exchangers that are radiators with radially arranged ribs. To that end, four specimens were designed and manufactured; their geometries of representations assumed for the purpose of research (analysis) changed dimensions within the following scope: 10-0.1 mm. The specimens to be applied in the research were manufactured with 17-4 PH stainless steel (1.4542) with the application of 3D-DMLS printing and an EOS M270 printer. The measurement of accuracy was performed with the application of an optical stereomicroscope (KERN OZL-466). In addition to that, research into the chemical composition of the material, as well as the size of spherical agglomerates, was conducted with the application of a scanning electron microscope. The analysis of the chemical composition was conducted as well (after the sintering process). The analysis of the results based on the values received by means of measurements of the manufactured geometries was divided into three parts. Based on this, it is possible to conclude that the representation of models manufactured with the application of DMLS was comparable with the assumptions, and that the deviations between a nominal dimension and that received in the course of the research were within the following scope: 0-0.1 mm. At the final stage of research and based on the received results, two heat exchangers were manufactured.