First Proof-of-Principle of PolyJet 3D Printing on Textile Fabrics

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Additive Manufacturing
• Textile Engineering

Background:

• Direct 3D printing on textiles creates composites with combined material properties.
• Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) struggles with polymer-textile adhesion due to high viscosity.
• Stereolithography (SLA) causes excessive resin saturation of textiles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate PolyJet Modeling (PJM) printing for direct application onto textile fabrics.
• To evaluate the adhesion strength of PJM-printed materials on textiles.
• To combine the benefits of FDM and SLA in a single 3D printing technique for textiles.

Main Methods:

• Proof-of-principle study demonstrating PolyJet printing directly on various textile fabrics.
• Adhesion force testing conducted according to DIN 53530 standards.
• Utilized a common photopolymer resin for PolyJet 3D printing.

Main Results:

• PolyJet Modeling successfully printed on multiple textile fabric types.
• Achieved adhesion forces in the range of 30-35 N (DIN 53530).
• Results are comparable to the best reported adhesion forces for FDM printing with rigid polymers on textiles.

Conclusions:

• PolyJet Modeling offers a viable method for direct 3D printing on textiles.
• This technique overcomes limitations of FDM and SLA, enabling strong polymer-textile adhesion.
• PJM printing presents a promising route for developing advanced textile-based composite materials.