Laser pre-deposition heating for FDM
FDM printed components typically have lower tensile strength in Z-direction. This is due to insufficient diffusion of polymer chains across the inter-layer interface. We used laser pre-deposition heating to keep the interface temperature above the glass transition temperature of the polymer for a longer time. This drives diffusion across the interface and improves the strength in Z-direction.
Strength improvement in ABS
Laser pre-deposition heating keeps the inter-layer interface temperature above the reference temperature for a longer period of time.
Laser pre-heated samples show significant improvement in flexural strength
The strength increases with increase in laser intensity up to a certain point but then begins to deteriorate with further laser intensity increase due to material evaporation.
Journal articles
An in-process laser localized pre-deposition heating approach to inter-layer bond strengthening in extrusion based polymer additive manufacturing, Journal of Manufacturing Processes, 2016
Interlayer thermal history modification for interface strength in fused filament fabricated parts, Progress in Additive Manufacturing, 2018
An approach to improve interface healing in FFF-3D printed Ultem 1010 using laser pre-deposition heating, Procedia Manufacturing, 2019