Materials for AM Processes Numerous laboratories around the world have researched and developed materials for various AM processes. Below is a list of commercially available materials systems from a selected list of current manufacturers. Together they include; Photo-curing resins, Viscous-binder polymers, Infiltrated metal, Direct metal and Infiltrated non-metallics. Materials for AM Processes Stereolithography. All commercial photopolymers for SLA are proprietary epoxies and acrylate–epoxy hybrids. 3D Systems markets the following photopolymers currently.

1. BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY
BAHIR DAR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (BiT)
FACULTY OF MECHANICAL AND INDUSTRIAL
ENGINEERING
Rapid Prototyping & Reverse Engineering
[MEng6123]
Materials for AM Processes

2. Materials Selection Database
Database for AM materials and machines
Search for
• Materials
• AM Process
• Properties
- Mechanical
- Physical
- Thermal
• Certifications
2

3. Materials Selection
Database
Database for AM materials and machines
3

4. Materials Selection
Database
Database for AM materials and machines
4

5. Materials Selection
Database
Database for AM materials and machines
5

6. Materials Selection
Database
Database for AM materials and machines
6

7. Materials for AM Processes
• Numerous laboratories around the world have researched and
developed materials for various AM processes.
• Below is a list of commercially available materials systems from a
selected list of current manufacturers. Together they include;
• Photo-curing resins,
• Viscous-binder polymers,
• Infiltrated metal,
• Direct metal and
• Infiltrated non-metallics.

8. Stereolithography.
• All commercial photopolymers for SLA are proprietary
epoxies and acrylate–epoxy hybrids. 3D Systems markets
the following photopolymers currently.
Materials for AM Processes

9. Materials for AM Processes
Stereolithography.---- 3D Systems

10. Selective laser sintering.
• Commercial materials are polymers, metal or ceramic binder
systems and direct metal systems.
• The most popular material is polyamide, available in neat and
glass-reinforced formulations.
Materials for AM Processes

11. Materials for AM Processes
Powder Bed Fusion---3D Systems
About 77 types of materials

12. Fused deposition modeling.
• Stratasys has developed extrusion filaments of ABS,
polycarbonate and polyphenylsulfone.
Materials for AM Processes

13. FDM Filament Materials
Sources: www.matterhackers.com; www.stratasys.com/materials/fdm; www.esun3d.net/index.aspx
ABS
Nylon
PEI
PLA
PET
TPU
filler
PC,
PC/ABS
porous
PVA
HIPS
novel
Acrylonitrile Butadiene
Styrene
for high temperature
applications, e.g. in cars
Polyetherimide (ULTEM) –
high performance polymer
Poly Vinyl Alcohol - for support
structures – water soluble (but
hygroscopic)
Glass, pH sensitive,
antibacterial material, …
High Impact PolyStyrene -
soluble in limonene (not
hygroscopic)
Thermoplastic Polyurethane -
flexible
Polyethylene Terephthalate,
also PETG
Polylactic Acid –
biodegradable
Polycarbonate, PC/ABS blend
- High impact strength
Carbon fiber, metal, ceramic
or magnetic particle filled
polymer
Micro-porous, e.g. for filters
or bio- applications
13
Materials for AM Processes

14. Parameters to take into account when getting filament
• Material: ABS, PLA...
• Filament Diamter (to fit with our printer), common 1.75mm Price and
weight
• Colour
Materials for AM Processes

15. • ABS [FDM] - ABS-M30, PC-ABS, ABS-ESD7, ABSi, ABS-M30i
• ASA [FDM] - ASA
• Nylon [FDM, LS, MJF] - Nylon 12, Nylon 12 PA, Nylon 12 Carbon
Fiber™, Nylon 12 CF, Nylon 12 AF, Nylon 12 FR, Nylon 12 GF, Nylon
12 GSL, Nylon 12 HST, Nylon 11, Nylon 11 EX, Nylon 11 FR
• PC [FDM]- PC, PC-ABS, PC-ISO
• PEKK [FDM]- Antero 800NA
• PPSF/PPSU [FDM] - PPSF (aka PPSU)
• TPE [LS, FDM] - Flex TPE, TPU 92A Elastomer
• ULTEM™ Resin [FDM] - ULTEM™ 1010 Resin, ULTEM™ 9085
Resin, ULTEM™ 9085 CG Resin
Materials for AM Processes

16. FDM Materials - Examples
HIPS Wood / Metal PLA
Flexible, TPE, TPU, TPC Nylon 12 Carbon Fiber (Stratasys)
Source: all3dp.com/best-3d-printer-filament-types-pla-abs-pet-exotic-wood-metal/; www.stratasys.com
16
Materials for AM Processes

17. Fused metal deposition (LENS, DLM, direct SLS, POM).
• A variety of metal powders have been processed using
direct powder techniques, including tool steel (A2, H13, H19,
P20, P21, S7), stainless steel (304, 316, 420, 15-5PH, 17-
4PH), nickel alloys (IN625, IN718, Hastelloy X), cobalt
alloys (Stellite 6, Stellite 21, Stellite 706), aluminum alloy
(4047), copper alloys and titanium alloys (CP Ti, Ti–6Al–4V,
Ti–6Al–2Sn–4Zr–6Mo).
Materials for AM Processes

18. • Materials for 3D Printing Parts with DMLS (stratasys)
• Stainless Steel 17-4 PH
• Stainless Steel 316L
• Aluminum AlSi10Mg
• Nickel Alloy 625
• Nickel Alloy 718
• Titanium Ti64
• Cobalt Chrome CoCrMo
• MONEL K500
• Copper C18150
Materials for AM Processes

19. BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY
BAHIR DAR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (BiT)
FACULTY OF MECHANICAL AND INDUSTRIAL
ENGINEERING
Rapid Prototyping & Reverse Engineering
[MEng6123]
STL Files and Slicing Software

20. Rapid Prototyping Process
• All RP systems have a common information workflow. The main stages
in preparing and pre-processing data for automated fabrication of 3D
objects are as follows:
1. Create 3D CAD model
2. Conversion to STL Format:
3. Data Validation and Repair
4. Part Orientation and Scaling
5. Support Structures Generation
6. Setting-up of Process Parameters
7. 2D Slice Data Generation.
8. Layer by Layer Construction
9. Clean and Finish
CAD Software's,
SOLIDWORKS, CATIA,
AutoDESK, Proe,
SketchUp, FreeCAD, ….
Slicing Software's,
Ultimaker Cura,
3DprinterOS,
Ideamaker, KISSlicer,
OctoPrint, Slic3r,…….
3D Printer
Manual work…

21. File format in 3D printing
• There are many file formats that are used for 3D printing such as obj,
vrml, ply, 3mf, x3d, etc.
• The most common file format for 3D printers is STL (.stl).
• STL was first developed for stereolithography in the late 1980s.
• It was created to prepare CAD data for 3D printers.
• Since then, it was considered as the “standard” file format for 3D
printing.

22. What is STL file?
• STL format is the most commonly used format file for 3D printing.
• An STL (Standard Tessellation Language or STereoLithography) file is a
format that describes surface geometry of a 3D object without any colour,
texture or other attributes.
• This format uses a series of linked triangles to reproduce surface geometry
of the 3D model.
• The more triangles used, the higher resolution the 3D model will have.
• STL file is widely used because it is simple, light and easy to be handled by
3D machines and software.

23. Limitations of STL files
• Although STL is the most widely used file format for 3D printing, it
also has its own limitations.
• STL only understands the external surface and shape of the 3D
model.
• Difficulties to correctly drawn gaps and overlaps of joining surfaces
in model. These are known as non-manifold edges e.g. a door in a
building has a air gap all around the door and is not connected solidly
so cannot be 3D printed in the model.
• Furthermore, information such as colour, internal structure, texture
or attributes that a CAD file holds may not be included in an STL
file.

24. Exporting STL files using different CAD software
• Exporting an STL file is one of the steps in creating 3D
printed models. Exporting STL files may differ in each CAD
software. As a quick reference, here are some of the steps
for exporting STL files.

25. Solidworks
1. File > Save As
2. Set Save As file type to STL
3. Options > Resolution > Fine or Custom > Ok
Exporting STL files using different CAD software

26. Exporting STL files using different CAD software

27. Exporting STL files using different CAD software

28. Exporting STL files using different CAD software

29. Advanced Instructions
• Deviation Tolerance is the maximum deviation between the designed part
and the STL representation of the part.
• Since an STL file approximates your part’s surface geometry using
tessellated triangles, there is a tradeoff between accurate
representation of curves and the number of triangles used. The larger
the number of triangles, the larger the file size.
• Angle Tolerance controls the maximum angle between the normal vectors
of each triangle. The smaller this value, the more dense the tessellation
in curved surfaces. Increases both resolution and file size.
• If you are printing an Assembly in SOLIDWORKS, please ensure that the
configuration of your assembly is according to your design intent.
• Interfering components will be printed conjoined into one piece and
moving components require the appropriate allowance with other.

30. Important settings when exporting STL files
• For good print quality and file size consider the following
settings while exporting STL files
1. Angle control
• To improve the print resolution, it is recommended to have gaps
between triangles and change its angle deviation between adjacent
triangles.
• In this way, it will be easier to adjust how close objects are layered
or tiled together.

31. 2. Chordal deviation
• Chord height is the maximum
distance between the surface of
the original design and STL
mesh. Choosing the right
tolerance will give you smoother
and not pixelated 3D part.
• The chord tolerance should be
set between 0.01 to 0.001
millimeters. This setting usually
results in good 3D prints.
Important settings when exporting STL files

32. Triangulation: Resolution 0.1Inches
2 inch
round
hole
32
coarse
approx.

33. Resolution0.01 Inches
better
approx.
33

34. Resolution 0.001 Inches
smooth
approx.
34

35. Resolution 0.0001 Inches
too
much
35

36. Important settings when exporting STL files
3. Binary or ASCII
• STL files can store information in two different ways.
• These are Binary encoding and ASCII encoding.
• Binary files are smaller and easier to share while ASCII files are
visually easy to read and check.
• Binary format is recommended to use for 3D printing.
• However, ASCII format is suggested for those who want to manually
inspect STL file for debugging.

37. Slicing

38. 38
Popular Slicing Programs
• Cura
• Slic3r
• KISSlicer
• IdeaMaker

39. 39
G-Code
• The output of the slicer program is typically a G-Code file.
• GCode is used in many types of CNC machines.
• Includes commands to move the extruder to specified (x,y,z)
coordinates, feed (or stop feeding)

40. Introduction to Ultimaker Cura 4.4
• Printer selection and configuration
• Material Panel/ Material Setting
• Print Setting Panel –
• Recommended/ Basic Setting
• Custom/advanced setting
• Display Windows
• Prepare
• Preview
• Monitor
• Sign in
• MarketPlace
• Plugins
• Material
• Import stl file to cura
• Orbit, Pan, Rotate, Zoom, Mirror
• Right Click on the model for additional
options
• Scale
• Camera, 3D views
• Overview on Print Setting
• Recommended/ Basic Setting
• Custom/advanced setting
Demo
Demo
Demo
Demo
Demo
Demo
Demo
Demo
Demo
Demo
Demo
Demo

41. • MarketPlace
• Plugins
• Material
• This feature only works with internet
Introduction to Ultimaker Cura 4.4

42. Introduction to Ultimaker Cura 4.4

43. Introduction to Ultimaker Cura 4.4

44. Introduction to Ultimaker Cura 4.4

45. Introduction to Ultimaker Cura 4.4

46. Introduction to Ultimaker Cura 4.4

47. Introduction to Ultimaker Cura 4.4

48. Introduction to Ultimaker Cura 4.4

49. Introduction to Ultimaker Cura 4.4

50. Introduction to Ultimaker Cura 4.4

51. Introduction to Ultimaker Cura 4.4

52. Introduction to Ultimaker Cura 4.4

53. Introduction to Ultimaker Cura 4.4

54. Introduction to Ultimaker Cura 4.4

55. Introduction to Ultimaker Cura 4.4

56. Introduction to Ultimaker Cura 4.4

57. Reading Assignment
• Post processing of AM parts
1. Support Material Removal
2. Surface Texture Improvements
3. Accuracy Improvements
4. Aesthetic Improvements
5. Preparation for use as a Pattern
6. Property Enhancements using Non-Thermal Techniques
7. Property Enhancements using Thermal Techniques
• AM process selection