With the increasing of the Internet of things (IoT) and Smart manufacturing, we are seeing a growing demand on applications such as smart 3D printed structural components with high bending and stretching mechanical properties in many fields.
3D printing is an effective additive manufacturing technique that holds great promise for the fabrication of highly customized objects with diverse complicated structures. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is a typical 3D printing method based on the deposition of successive layers of molten thermoplastic materials, which have been widely used in numerous industries fields, including healthcare, automotive, aerospace, oil & gas, etc.
A recent study by China SMT (CAS Key Laboratory of Space Manufacturing Technology, SMT) on Fabrication of Smart Components by 3D Printing and Laser-Scribing Technologies, has been published in the Americas ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces journals. The SMT sparks an innovative idea by combining 3D printing and Laser-scribing technologies to fabricate smart components.
In this study, Smart 3D printed structural components with self-monitoring ability show potential applications in some extreme environments, such as deep-water and space.
SMT researchers put forward a unique strategy for the fabrication of smart components, which include the 3D printing of PEEK architectures and the in-situ generation laser scribing LIG sensors on the surfaces. High-performance PEEK-LIG SCs can self-monitor the working process and the deformations (bidirectional bending and stretching) of the printed components in various environments. Besides, the LIG layer shows good adhesion with the PEEK substrates, and it cannot decrease the mechanical properties of the 3D printed components.
STM developped a low cost and facile fabrication of smart components combining FDM with laser-scribing technology. A thin laser-induced graphene (LIG) layer (∼50 μm) can serve as the active materials of sensors, which can be obtained on the printed PEEK components.
The INTAMSYS FUNMAT HT 3D printer has been used to support China SMT team to develop a low-cost and facile fabrication way of intelligent components.
Thanks to the FUNMAT HT advanced thermal design (90℃ chamber temperature, 450℃ nozzle temperature), more than 20 Functional Materials can be printed. This includes the high performance functional materials like PEEK, PEKK, ULTEM(PEI), PPSU and the engineering materials such as PC, PA, PA-CF, ABS, etc.
Besides FUNMAT HT model, INTAMSYS also offers the FUNMAT PRO 410 model featuring dual extruders and up to 305 x 305 x 406 mm build volume to allow high speed and a high precision printing, ideal for research purposes requiring the use of high performance polymers.
Why using PEEK? PEEK is widely used in 3D printing due to its excellent processing properties, thermal stability and its mechanical properties.
The results of the study have showed the excellent performance of the PEEK-LIG smart gear in monitoring the rotation and the abrasion, indicating the wide potential applications of this strategy, especially in the fabrication of smart components and the building of structure self-monitoring systems, which can be used in different dangerous environments.
Click HERE for the detailed study by SMT.
Data sourcing: ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces ( IF 8.456 ) Pub Date : 2020-01-10 , DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b17467
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INTAMSYS 3D Printing All-in-One Solutions bear the ambition to make our future life fully customizable due to the infinity of possibilities Additive Manufacturing Industry offers. Meeting the most demanding industrial standards, INTAMSYS 3D Printers are optimized for applications in industries as diverse as Automotive, Aerospace, Oil & Gas, Medical sector, Jigs & Fixtures or even Education.
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