Eventos Anais de eventos
COBEM 2023
27th International Congress of Mechanical Engineering
Comparing Metal Filaments and Pellets for Material Extrusion in Additive Manufacturing: A Review.
Submission Author:
Victor Wassano Buchwitz , PR , Brazil
Co-Authors:
Victor Wassano Buchwitz, Bernardo Fabricio Martins Gonçalves, Luciano Zart Olanyk, Lucas Freitas Berti, Neri Volpato
Presenter: Victor Wassano Buchwitz
doi://10.26678/ABCM.COBEM2023.COB2023-1182
Abstract
Additive Manufacturing (AM) has gained popularity in metallic production parts due to its high precision and ability to create intricate shapes. Despite its benefits, customizing and optimizing the printing process can be difficult due to the expense and complexity of the tools involved. Fortunately, Material Extrusion (MEX) has emerged as more affordable and straightforward options for creating metal parts. Metal filaments for MEX uses a mixture of metal powder and polymeric binders, allowing for greater flexibility in adjusting parameters and achieving desired outcomes. The filament is generally the most commonly used form for Material Extrusion (MEX) feedstock due to its reliable dimensions and easy workflow. However, filaments have limited flexibility in terms of adjusting the metal/binder ratio or using unconventional metallic alloys. Also, the production of these filaments requires equipment injection with a certain precision. Pellets, on the other hand, do not need such equipment and provide greater flexibility in terms of obtaining different types of materials. However, using pellets requires more complex MEX equipment to process. The objective of this study is to review and compare key characteristics of existing printing processes such as metal filaments applying traditional 3D printers head and metal Pellets Additive Manufacturing (PAM) applying modified 3D printers with extruder screw-based head for pellets. Specifically, the study aims to compare the differences and similarities in material preparation, printing parameters, characterization, and other parameters between both technologies. By analyzing and comparing different aspects of the printing process, this study provides valuable insights into the benefits and drawbacks of using filaments versus pellets for metal MEX. Evaluating the overall quality of printing parameters for both metal filament and metal PAM provides valuable comparisons and highlights the feasibility of using an in-house built extruder as a potentially cost-effective alternative to commercial machines and filaments. These findings have significant potential to aid researchers and manufacturers in optimizing the metal MEX process and exploring innovative feedstocks for use in additive manufacturing.
Keywords
Additive manufacturing, Material Extrusion, metal filament, metal pellets, direct pellet extrusion
