On recyclability of thermoplastic ABS polymer as fused filament for FDM technique of additive manufacturing
ISSN: 1708-5284
Article publication date: 6 April 2021
Issue publication date: 10 May 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The thermoplastic polymers do not decompose easily due to the presence of long-chain stable polymeric structure, and thus, causes serious effects on the environment. Recycling of these polymer wastes becomes the only solution to minimize their adverse effects on the environment. The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of using recycled thermoplastic material as filament for fused deposition modeling technique.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, the researchers fabricated fused filaments (in-house) for fused deposition modeling (FDM) technique of additive manufacturing from secondary recycled acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) by using a twin-screw extruder. After measuring the melt flow index of the secondary recycled ABS, the twin-screw extrusion parameters (rpm/speed of the screw, extrusion temperature and load) were varied to predict their influence on the various properties (rheological/mechanical/thermal) of the fabricated filaments. Experimental work was executed as per Taguchi’s L9 orthogonal array.
Findings
Thermal analysis performed to estimate the heat carrying capacity of recycled ABS highlighted that the heat capacity of ABS increases significantly from 0.28 J/g to 3.94 J/g during the heating cycle. The maximum value of peak strength and percentage break elongation for the fused filaments was investigated at 12.5 kg load, 2,250 C extrusion temperature and 70 rpm speed.
Originality/value
The filaments fabricated by recycling the polymeric waste has been successfully used in the FDM machine for the preparation of the three-dimensional printed tensile specimen.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors are highly thankful to Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, Ludhiana and Lovely professional University, Phagwara for providing the lab facilities to perform the experimental work.
Citation
Chawla, K., Singh, R. and Singh, J. (2022), "On recyclability of thermoplastic ABS polymer as fused filament for FDM technique of additive manufacturing", World Journal of Engineering, Vol. 19 No. 3, pp. 352-360. https://doi.org/10.1108/WJE-11-2020-0580
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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