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Abstract

Contents

Introduction

3D printing systems are tools that have allowed passing from a concept (3D model) to a materialization of the object directly, regardless of the geometry, reducing the time between conceptual design and fabrication of the product. One of the more affordable printing methods is the fused filament fabrication (FFF), which uses thermoplastics to obtain the piece with the desired geometry, fusing them to create layers over a platform, allowing creating objects which couldn’t be created by traditional fabrication process or that could take a higher time and cost of the fabrication process.

Additive manufacturing – the generalized name of this technology, involves the manufacture of the product according to the digital model (or CAD-model) by the method of fused filament fabrication (FFF) also referred as Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM).

The essence of Additive Fabrication (AF) can be illustrated by a simple example: CAD-model → AF-machine → detail. (fig.1)[1].

Figure 1 – Process Additive Fabrication

Figure 1 – Process Additive Fabrication

1. 3D Printing process.

3D printing consists in the successive addition of material by layers, allowing creating three-dimensional objects with complex geometries from a digital file. The slicer software transforms the 3D figure into many horizontal slices that can be interpreted by the printer. The printer reads each one of these slices as a 2D image and starts to deposit material recreating each slice on the printing platform.

2. Methods of 3D Printing.

There are many types of 3D printers relying on different technologies, different methods to print, and use different materials. Of the most common 3D printing technologies are:

  1. Stereolithography (SLA): it uses liquid UV curable photopolymer and a UV laser to build each layer[5].
  2. MultiJet – Modeling (MJM). This technology is unique because one large printhead is used, which covers the full width of the building platform[7].
  3. Selective heat sintering (SHS) is a type of additive manufacturing process. It works by using a thermal printhead to apply heat to layers of powdered thermoplastic[8].
  4. Electron beam melting (EBM) is an innovative additive manufacturing (AM) process in which metal powder or filament is completely melted by a concentrated beam of electrons[9].
  5. Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is a 3D printing process that uses a continuous filament of a thermoplastic material[10].

3. Development of hardware 3D printer.

The kinematics of the developed 3D printer was chosen the same as that of Ultimaker, because of its reliability, simplicity, and it is also one of one the most common in the world.

The movement of the working body (extruder) is carried out along two horizontal axes (X,Y) using guide shafts, timing belts an two Nema17HS4401 engines. Engine control takes place using DRV8825 drivers.

The control device in the developed 3D printer is the ATmega 2560 microcontroller based on the Arduino board. The structure includes everything necessary for convenient work with a microcontroller.

Figure 2 – ATmega 2560 microcontroller based on Arduino board

Figure 2 – ATmega 2560 microcontroller based on Arduino board

The link between the microcontroller and other equipment is the RAMP expansion board.

Figure 3 – RAMPS circuit

Figure 3 – RAMPS circuit

Conclusion

3D-printing is still a technology under development and has aspects that have not been fully analyzed; failures during the printing process are very common and cause a loss of time and material. These aspects of 3D printing provide an excellent opportunity to improve the state of the printing parts, helping to improve the objects created.

References

  1. М. А Зленко, А. А. Попович, И. Н. Мутылина Аддитивные технологии в машиностроении.
  2. Мишинов С. В., Ступак В. В., Мамуладзе Т. З., Копорушко Н. А., Мамонова Н. В., Панченко А. А., Красовский И. Б., Рабинович С. С., Ларькин В. И., Долженко Д. А., Новокшонов А. В. Использование трехмерного моделирования и трехмерной печати в обучении нейрохирургов. [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа: applied-research.ru.
  3. 54-я научная конференция аспирантов, магистров и студентов БГУИР, 2018 г [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа: libeldoc.bsuir.by.
  4. Е. Б. Романова, Т. И. Веселова. Применение PR-технологий при прототипировании электронных средств
  5. [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа: 3dtoday.ru.