Effect of Sintering Parameters and Flow Agent on the Mechanical Properties of High Speed Sintered Elastomer

High speed sintering (HSS) is an additive manufacturing (AM) process that creates parts by sintering powder particles using inkjet and infrared (IR) lamp technology rather than laser systems employed in laser sintering (LS). This research investigated the effects of machine parameters (lamp speed, bed temperature) and the addition of fumed silica flow agent on the tensile properties of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) parts processed using HSS. The results showed improved elongation at break (EaB) values by a factor of more than 2X compared to reported values for LS of the same TPE. At constant parameters, improved tensile strength and tensile modulus were observed with the addition of flow agent into the sintering mixture.