Possibilities of Using 3D Printing with Polymers as Structural Components

This article investigates the potential of using polymer-based Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printing to manufacture structural components. This study aimed to explore the application of this technology within manufacturing processes. This research focused on material analysis, using a gear wheel from a lawn mower's drive system as a case study. To achieve the purpose of this study, a reverse engineering process was carried out to create 2D and 3D documentation based on a physical piece. The geometric model created in the CAD environment was optimized for volume. It was intended to keep the material expenditure unchanged, which is intensified during the 3D printing process due to the need to apply an adhesive layer and supports. The final design process of the geometric model of the prototype was subjected to numerical analyses in terms of total deformation and reduced stresses for materials commonly used as filaments in the FDM/FFF 3D printing technology. The basic filaments PLA, ABS, and PA6 and PA12 were analyzed in this study. The results of the analyses showed that two of the four selected filaments had to be rejected due to significant deterioration in strength properties. Finally, the prototype workpieces were printed using materials approved for the manufacturing process.