Temperature Analysis in the Fused Deposition Modeling Process

The fused deposition modeling (FDM) is one of the most attractive 3D printing product manufacturing processes. FDM fabricates prototypes by extruding a semi-molten polymer filament through a heated nozzle in a prescribed pattern onto a platform. As the material is deposited, it cools, solidifies, and bonds with the surrounding materials. The temperature distribution among polymer filaments in the FDM process determines the bonding quality, integrity and mechanical properties of the resultant prototypes. A thermal model of FDM has been developed in this paper. The non-linear behavior of thermal conductivity and of specific heat due to temperature changes and phase transformation is considered here. The temperature evolution and the formation of the modelled part are investigated by a finite element analysis method based on the continuous media theory. Through the analysis of the prototypes using acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) filaments, it is shown that the effect of modelling has a strong influence on thermal evolution by changing the thermal properties of the material.