SPE Library
The SPE Library contains thousands of papers, presentations, journal briefs and recorded webinars from the best minds in the Plastics Industry. Spanning almost two decades, this collection of published research and development work in polymer science and plastics technology is a wealth of knowledge and information for anyone involved in plastics.
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Conference Proceedings
How To Approach Material Validation For Production Parts
Mike Vasquez, May 2018
As more organizations incorporate additive manufacturing systems to produce production parts, it is becoming clear that successfully moving beyond prototyping requires a more advanced and thoughtful material's strategy. To achieve the desired outcomes, organizations now need to learn how to build a methodical and scalable system for measuring and characterizing materials that are going into your processing systems. This talk will discuss best practices and standards for developing and executing a successful strategy for both metals and polymers -- from benchmarking properties, to creating appropriate operating/storage instructions, to testing and then ultimately tracking the lifecycle of materials throughout your production workflow.
3D Printed Capsules For On-Site Formulations
Derrick Smith, May 2018
Drug Product development is a long and expensive process which eventually translates into a higher cost to the payer. Thus, any opportunity to reduce the development timeline is beneficial for the company and the patients. Here, a novel 3D printed (3DP) capsule strategy is disclosed which we believe could enable more informed drug product development with potential to positively impact development timelines. To print these small images, software engineering is required to manufacture defect-free capsules. Additionally, further consideration may be required beyond the normal processing conditions of temperature, speed and quench rate, to realize robust capsules. These capsule walls can be varied to result in burst releases with controlled delay times ranging from immediate to up to 2.5 hours.
Ensuring Mechanical Reliability Of Additively Manufactured Parts Through Testing And Simulation
Mark Oliver, May 2018
Additively manufactured polymers are increasingly being used in mechanically demanding applications. As this trend accelerates, engineers will need to be able to better predict the deformation and failure of polymeric AM materials in service. This involves understanding the properties that often govern failure (fracture, fatigue, creep, etc.) as well as being able to accurately simulate part deformation using finite element analysis.In the first part of this talk, I will discuss how to predict mechanical behavior of polymeric AM parts using non-linear finite element analysis. I will discuss how to measure mechanical behavior, calibrate anisotropic material models, and validate those models using a case study of simulating the strength of a polymeric AM part designed using topology optimization.The second part of my presentation will focus on fatigue and fracture of AM polymers. These properties are not often listed on data sheets but are critical to engineering reliable parts for structural applications. I will present some of the unique attributes of fracture and fatigue in various AM polymers and share new data on materials processes using MJF, CLIP, and SLS.
To Print Or Not To Print, That Is The Additive Manufacturing Question
Jim Allen, May 2018
Additive manufacturing (AM) is becoming a larger part of manufacturing, particularly plastics and metals. New technologies and new materials are being introduced on a regular basis. In a few short years, AM has become a more accepted way of producing end use parts and not just prototypes. How can companies that produce plastic parts stay ahead of the curve? How do you know when to produce a part additively versus injection molding or other more traditional technique? What if there was a tool that did this automatically? 3YOURMIND has developed the first automated AM analysis platform. Now decades of AM experience are available in a streamlined platform to inform smart 3D production decisions.We will talk about:• The use of quantitative methods for evaluation as a key turning point in AM production• How early adopters are actively integrating this new technology• The potential savings in time and money by automating this process• How we envision automated AM evaluation will shift in the industry in the next 3-5 years
Effective Subtraction Before Additive Manufacturing: The Art Of Leveraging Constraints
Ravi Kunju, May 2018
For highly engineered components, the topological shapes that are generated based on the loads and boundary conditions, can be impacted by the many choices of constraints that are set. Over the years Altair’s Optistruct has developed the broadest set of constraints, and has recently introduced ‘overhang’ constraints for 3D printing so the resulting structure is grown to avoid a specified overhang angle (example: of 45 degrees typically), to minimize areas requiring support. Before embarking on creating a topological shape it is necessary to identify the direction of print, which is a sensitive variable by itself. With a variety of constraints available to a designer, a holistic approach needs to be developed wherein the entire process of manufacturing the part, including post processing operations, are carefully considered including the entire geometry that is printed along with the support structure. A fine balance between the interplay of choosing the right constraints, defining design & non-design space, and the right penalty factors, are critical for generating optimal topological shapes that accommodate, for example: areas for holding the 3D printed part for post-processing; or effectively evacuating the powder in plastic printing; or remove supports in metal printing. In this presentation, examples will be highlighted to showcase how to leverage the latest computational methods to efficiently subtract as much before additively manufacturing components, with a goal to develop an effective and repeatable product design strategy.
Material Selection, Testing And Validation Of Additively Manufactured Components
Johannes Wiener, May 2018
In order to successfully develop a structurally loaded component via additive manufacturing it is necessary to include several vital aspects. Currently, most attention is given to the geometrical reproduction of a design with as little deviation as possible. While for parts produced purely for aesthetic reasons or display this may be sufficient, it can lead to poor results for components used in structural or medical applications. Therefore, a careful material selection, rigorous testing and validation have to accompany the whole process, from the idea to the final component. This work presents an overview over the most important aspects that have to be considered for the material selection and testing in extrusion-based additive manufacturing of structural parts.
Structure And Property Relationships Of Additively Manufactured Polyphenylene Sulfide With Carbon Fiber Reinforcement
Peng Liu, May 2018
The objective of this work is to investigate the microstructure of carbon fiber (CF) reinforced polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) resulted from extrusion-based large-scale additive manufacturing (AM) process. This study attempts to establish a fundamental understanding on the role of AM process in transferring a set of intrinsic material properties to the macroscopic properties of the final part. Questions on development of morphology focus on polymer crystal orientation and carbon fiber alignment in proximity to the interface of successive layers. Our findings demonstrated that PPS at the interface has lower crystal perfectness compared to the layer region; the carbon fiber shows higher level of preferred orientation at the interface. Successive layers along the building z-direction present lower storage modulus as it is demonstrated in the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA).
Critical Capillary Number In A Hyperbolic Converging Nozzle For Polymer Based Additive Manufacturing
Aditya N Sangli, May 2018
Use of immiscible liquids in a polymer based additive manufacturing method is explored. A scaled up version of a converging hyperbolic nozzle is built, and the deformation seen by a droplet of Silicone oil in a bulk fluid of Castor oil is observed. Two different droplet injection positions in the channel are explored. Simulation studies showed the existence of pure extension along the centerline and a combined shear and extensional effect in the offset position. Non-dimensional plots of deformation measures vs. Capillary number showed an asymptotic trend towards a critical Capillary number for the centerline experiments. Offset deployment experiments resulted in a large degree of droplet stretch. These results advance our understanding of immiscible liquid behavior in hyperbolic converging nozzles for additive manufacturing applications
Rheological Characterization And Quality Assessment Of Commercial Abs Filaments For Fused Deposition Modeling
Cybele Lotti, May 2018
Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) is the most commonly used thermoplastic used for Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) due to its low cost and good properties. The viscoelastic behavior of five commercial ABS filaments was investigated and compared to quality features of a two-piece printed part. The results that the commercial ABS filaments differ not only with respect to viscosity, but also to relaxation time, recoverable deformation, morphology/composition, and thermal stability. Filaments with lower recoverable deformation tend to present better surface finish regardless the viscosity and relaxation time. Filaments with lower viscosities and faster relaxation times resulted in tight fit due to disproportional variations in the critical dimensions of the printed part.
Process Impact Of Elliptic Smoothness And Powder Shape Factors On Additive Manufacturing With Laser Sintering
Marc Vetterli, May 2018
As of today, polyamide 12 covers approximatively 90% of the commercially and industrially relevant Laser Sintering (LS) materials. To ensure a reasonable growth of the LS market, new materials must be developed to enlarge the material portfolio. However, the design of novel LS materials is critical as they need to fulfil several criteria. Besides suitable intrinsic properties of the polymer like correct thermal, rheology and optical behaviour, the constitution of the powder and the particles are decisive for a successful processing. This article presents the advances done in the field of particle form characterization for LS powders and their impact on LS processability. By using a trio of form factors, the powder flowing behaviour can be accurately predicted and hence enables to screen potential LS materials on a reproducible and reliable way.
Strength Analysis Of Fused Filament Fabricated Continuous Carbon Fiber Composite Test Samples
Rogelio Herrera, May 2018
With the use of the Ansys® Workbook program, Markforged® Mark Two fused filament fabrication (FFF) composite samples were subjected to three-point flexural testing, using ASTM D790 standards. The results of flexural testing and the provided data of the mechanical properties of the composite materials were used to develop finite element analysis (FEA) models. The samples were composites of Markforged’s proprietary continuous carbon fiber filament and nylon filament. In comparison between the test results and the FEA models, both composite model methods and isotropic FEA modeling methods resulted in stronger and less flexible mechanical attributes if the proprietary material specifications were used. Through the development and analysis of micrograph samples of the Markforged’s carbon fiber filament (CFF), found that the CFF was only composed of 22.31% a fiber volume content (FVC). With the new FVC data, a more accurate model was possible for a limited range of flexural displacement.
Investigation Of Selective Laser Sintering Parameters On The Tensile Properties Of Polyamide-11
Gabrielle Esposito, May 2018
Selective laser sintering (SLS) is a rapid developing additive manufacturing process. It produces parts by selectively sintering powder together in a layer-by-layer mode. SLS processing behavior was investigated with a desktop printer (equipped with a 2W UV laser) on a commercial polyamide-11/carbon black (PA11/CB) powder. By systematically increasing the laser energy received by powder (by varying laser speed and laser hatch spacing), we successfully mapped out the laser settings needed to print parts with a reasonable amount of strength and ductility. Therefore, our low power 2 watt UV-laser successfully sintered PA11/CB tensile specimens. These PA11/CB specimens yielded at 53 MPa and elongated up to 65% before fracturing.
Investigation Of A Novel Additive Manufacturing Technique “4D-Rheoprinting” For The Manufacture Of Enhanced Polymeric Products
Alaauldeen Duhduh, May 2018
This paper discusses a novel additive manufacturing technology called “4D-RheoPrinting” and its application in spatial control of the material properties of additive manufacturing products. The technology was designed and developed to allow precise control over shear rate that a polymer strand undergoes during the 3D printing process, thereby inducing customizable molecular orientation of an individual printed “road”. This ability provides an added dimension to the conventional dimensional accuracy goal in 3D printing. Molecular orientation and crystallinity have shown to significantly influence mechanical, optical, thermal, and biodegradation properties of polymeric materials [1]. This work focuses on manipulation and control of shear rate using the RheoPrinting technique in order to print parts with tunable thermal, mechanical and biodegradation properties.
The Opportunity With Direct Digital Manufacturing
Tomeo Wise, May 2018
3D printing is often thought of only during the prototyping phase of product development, but designers and engineers should expect more from the additive technologies and materials available today. By embracing a direct digital manufacturing (DDM) strategy, companies are driving greater innovation, mitigating risk, lowering costs, and gaining agility. DDM enables design freedom, reduces lead times, and allows for more decentralized production, which will have significant impacts on communities across the globe. Ultimately, less rigid development and manufacturing means that more optimized, customized, and specialized products suddenly become viable as the barriers of scale are torn down. In this session, FATHOM will discuss why companies are opting for tool-less manufacturing for end-use products with real world application examples.
The Influence Of Melt Flow Rate And Nozzle Temperature In Fused Filament Fabrication
Nicole Hoekstra, May 2018
This study investigated the influence of the melt flow rate of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and nozzle temperature used in fused filament fabrication (FFF) on layer adhesion and printability. Prediction of the mechanical properties of printed parts, and the optimal process parameters for each material, is an area of continued difficulty. Test specimens were printed using four ABS filaments (representing a range of melt flow rates) at three different nozzle temperatures. Ultimate tensile strength, dimensional accuracy, bridging performance, and surface roughness were investigated using designed experiments. In general, low nozzle temperatures correlated to lower layer adhesion, but higher dimensional accuracy. Build plate position was not a significant factor for horizontal specimens but was for vertical specimens. Bridging performance and surface roughness were not affected by the melt flow index or nozzle temperature.
Mechanical Properties Of 3D Printed Polylactide/Microfibrillated Polyamide Composites
Nahal Aliheidari, May 2018
Fused deposition modeling (FDM) as the most common type of additive manufacturing (3D printing) is experiencing rapid growth. FDM employs thermoplastic-based materials to create complex and three-dimensional objects layer by layer. To expand the applications of FDM for end-use structural and functional products, novel printable materials with enhanced properties must be developed. Polylactide (PLA) has been well established as one of the most common feedstock materials in FDM 3D printing. However, PLA suffers from brittleness, narrow service window, and relatively poor mechanical properties. In this work, we report a printable PLA-based filament reinforced with microfibrillated polyamide-6 (PA6) in an attempt to enhance the mechanical properties of PLA-based prints. The microfibrillated PLA/PA6 fibers were produced by melt mixing followed by a hot stretching process. The filament feedstock was then prepared using a plunger-type extrusion process. Tensile test samples were then 3D printed and tested. The introduction of microfibrillated 3wt.% PA6 resulted in the improvements in the tensile modulus (~35%), tensile strength (~60%), and strain-at-break (~38%), compared to those of the neat PLA samples. The results of this work are highly applicable in developing high-performance printed materials.
Improving The Electrical Conductivity Of Pc/Abs Printing Filament For Fused Filament Fabrication Using Carbon Nanostructures
Nicole Hoekstra, May 2018
A study was conducted to show the effect of polyurethane coated carbon nanostructure (CNS) loading on the electrical volume resistance of polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) blends. Formulations containing estimated 0.5, 3, 4 and 5 wt% CNSs were created using twin screw extrusion at various screw speeds and an efficient, repeatable method for characterizing electrical volume resistance was developed to compare the resistivity of manufactured samples. Screw speeds of 400 rpm, a material feed rate of 7.11 g/min and an actual CNS loading of 4 wt%, filament samples exhibited an average volume resistance of 74 ohm.
Crystallization Kinetics During Materials Extrusion Based Additive Manufacturing Of Polycaprolactone
Kalman Migler, May 2018
Filament-based additive manufacturing processes extrude molten polymer through a printer nozzle at high shear rates (> 100 s-1) prior to cooling and crystallization. Although the phenomenon of flow-induced crystallization is well-known in general, the effect of nozzle flow on the crystallization kinetics of polymers are unknown for extrusion based additive manufacturing. In fact, there is no method available to quantitatively measure crystallinity during the AM process. To address this issue, we demonstrate that fiber optic probe based Raman spectroscopy can be used to conduct in situ measurements of the crystallinity kinetics of extruded polycaprolactone during additive manufacturing. We then quantify crystallinity as a function of distance away from the nozzle.
3D Printed Tooling Solutions
Venkatesha N, May 2018
Additive Manufacturing is a fast emerging disruptive technology that has potential to redefine the conventional manufacturing processes and supply chain management globally in the future. The fundamental principle of this technology is to build the three dimensional objects directly from the 3D computer models in a layer by layer additive manufacturing process. This technology can be leveraged to create prototypes, functional parts, tools and to produce production end user parts in plastic and metal materials.This technical paper will discuss the potential of AM technologies for polymer processing industry and the new space it provides for innovative thinking in plastic application development and the related tooling, without having to worry about any of the conventional manufacturing constraints. At SABIC, printed metal tools for cavities and cores with innovative conformal cooling designs have been utilized for efficient tooling and to improve cycle time. By going one step further additive tooling is integrated with heat & cool processing technology to achieve thin-wall and better quality parts. We will show an example of how such additive tooling was designed and printed, along with the impact on the final part quality.Furthermore, two SABIC resins, ULTEM 9085 resin and ULTEM 1010 resin have widespread adoption in the AM industry. Many customers are installing machines, which run true engineering thermoplastics such as these, and using them to print parts ranging from prototyping, jigs and fixtures, robotic end effectors, and tooling all the way to end use components. We will discuss the use of ULTEM in 3D printed tooling for the polymer processes such as injection molding and thermo-forming. Also, we will review our internal capabilities in design & simulation techniques to optimize tooling for minimum material, less printing time and lower system cost with couple of examples.
Structure-Property Relationships Of Microporous Membranes Produced By Biaxial Orientation Of Compatibilized Pp/Nylon 6 Blends
Jingxing Feng, May 2018
In this study, microporous membranes were fabricated from polypropylene/polyamide 6 blends compatibilized with polypropylene grafted maleic anhydride. Biaxial orientation of these blend films within a narrow composition range yielded through-pore membranes with adjustable pore size and porosity. The morphologies of the through-pore membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The effects of composition, draw ratio, and initial film thickness on porosity, and water permeation were evaluated. The blend film thickness was found to be the major variable upon membrane properties where higher thickness yielded lower density and smaller pores. These blend membranes were employed as the filtration media to separate Latex microbeads in aqueous solutions. It was discovered that the blend membranes could achieve >99% filtration efficiency using 100 nm Latex microbeads.
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