Improvement of Surface Quality by Reducing the Part's Surface Roughness Texture
Keywords:
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Polyamide 12 (PA12), Glass-Filled Composite, Rapid Manufacturing, Surface Quality OptimizationAbstract
Polyamide (PA) materials are extensively used in Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) for producing functional components. Among them, DuraForm PA and DuraForm GF from 3D Systems, along with PA 2200 and PA 3200 GF from EOS, are widely adopted for their favourable mechanical and thermal properties. Glass-filled (GF) composites, composed of a polymer matrix reinforced with glass particles, provide enhanced stiffness and dimensional stability compared to unfilled PA materials. This study focuses on improving the surface quality of laser-sintered (LS) parts and mitigating the rough surface texture characteristic of the SLS process. Experiments were conducted using a 2500 HiQ 3D System, employing a fractional factorial design of experiments (DOE) with five factors at two levels. The melt flow rate (MFR) was used as an indicator of recycled powder quality, with PA 2200 powder exhibiting an MFR range of 15–20. Results reveal that surface texture is strongly affected by scan spacing and interactions among laser power, scan speed, and scanning strategy. The proposed approach offers a systematic framework for optimizing LS process parameters for recycled PA 2200 powder, enhancing surface finish and overall part quality.
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References
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