Page 53 - MSAM-3-3

Materials Science in Additive Manufacturing MEX optimization printing of rHPDE from milk jugs

Table 3. (Continued)
PBT (°C) PT (°C) Results
Observation Description
220 Both conditions* were satisfied
Images taken after print.

230 Both conditions* were satisfied
Images taken after print.

240 Irremovable after print
Images taken after print.

Note: *The conditions refer to (i) the first layer of the print adhered to the print bed throughout the printing process and (ii) the print bed adhesion
could be partly removed (by hand) after print.
Abbreviations: PBT: Print bed temperatures; PT: Print temperatures.

PEI print bed. PEI is a versatile print surface material print surfaces, they could not be separated by hand after
that works well with many common filament materials, the print. This suggests that achieving necessary print bed
including ABS and PLA. However, when rHDPE was adhesion with either vHDPE or rHDPE print surfaces is
printed on the PEI surface, the partially printed part possible.
warped badly and detached from the print bed as early as It was also observed that the HDPE film/sheet cut-outs
the third layer. While there was slight improvement when tend to warp along with the printed part if they are not
using the ABS-coated surface and paper-faced foam core properly secured onto the print bed. Both double-sided
board surface, the part still warped and eventually detached tape or UHU glue sticks were found to be ineffective in
itself from the print bed toward the end of the print. providing sufficient adhesion between the film/sheets and
Among the surfaces that were printed on, only parts the print bed. In addition, air bubbles trapped while taping
printed on the vHDPE and rHDPE surfaces remained down the film/sheets would expand under heat during
attached to the print bed throughout the entire print the print. These tests confirm that rHDPE and vHDPE
duration, demonstrating stronger print bed adhesion. The are suitable print bed materials for rHDPE filaments to be
print bed adhesion was so strong that, for some parts and printed on.

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2024) 10 doi: 10.36922/msam.4084