Compressive Behavior of Some Balls Manufactured by 3D Printing from Ceramic-Polymer Composite Materials

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Ceramic-polymer composites are used for spherical components like balls.
• These balls often experience significant compression loads.
• Understanding their compression behavior is vital for structural integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the compression behavior of 3D-printed ceramic-polymer composite balls.
• To develop mathematical models for predicting crack initiation.
• To identify key factors influencing the mechanical performance of these composite balls.

Main Methods:

• Mathematical modeling of internal pressure variations during compression.
• Experimental compression testing of 20 mm diameter balls made from four distinct ceramic-polymer composites (pottery clay, terracotta, concrete, granite) via 3D printing.
• Gravimetric analysis to assess material behavior under controlled heating.
• Empirical power-type function modeling of experimental compression data.

Main Results:

• Mathematical models predicted maximum pressure zones at contact points.
• Gravimetric analysis showed similar thermal behavior across the four composite materials.
• Empirical models revealed factors influencing crack initiation force.
• The infill factor was identified as the most critical parameter affecting crack initiation.

Conclusions:

• The infill factor is paramount in determining the load-bearing capacity and crack initiation resistance of ceramic-polymer composite balls.
• 3D printing offers a viable method for fabricating these composite balls with tunable properties.
• The developed models provide a basis for optimizing the design of composite balls for specific compression load applications.