Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 042011 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of laser applications |
| Volume | 36 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Early online date | 16 Sept 2024 |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 2024 |
Abstract
Laser transmission welding (LTW) is a well-established technique for joining high-volume thermoplastic parts, such as automotive injection molded parts. For low-volume, prototype, and custom production, additive manufacturing is an emerging technology for producing complex thermoplastic parts. When compared to injection molding, the additive manufacturing process fused filament fabrication (FFF) results in an inhomogeneous structure with entrapped air within the volume. Additionally, the presence of short glass fibers in the polymer matrix leads to higher radiation scattering during the welding process. This paper presents a fundamental study of the weldability of additively manufactured fiber-reinforced parts. The specimens were fabricated using a FFF process with glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene (GF-PP). The study investigates the influence of layer thickness and line width of the FFF process on the optical transmittance. LTW-experiments were conducted using additively manufactured uncolored and black GF-PP samples. Lap shear test specimens were welded with a different energy per unit length. This research presents a process for welding additively manufactured GF-PP parts that can be used with optimized FFF-parameters to produce high-strength and durable prototypes or spare parts for the automotive industry. This research provides valuable insights into the process parameters and considerations required to achieve robust welds in additively manufactured thermoplastic parts, facilitating broader adoption of LTW in additive manufacturing contexts.
Keywords
- additive manufacturing, fused filament fabrication (FFF), glass fiber reinforcement, laser transmission welding, polypropylene, transmissivity, weld seam strength
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Materials Science(all)
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
- Engineering(all)
- Biomedical Engineering
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Instrumentation
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In: Journal of laser applications, Vol. 36, No. 4, 042011, 11.2024.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Advancing laser transmission welding for additive manufacturing
T2 - A study of glass fiber reinforced polypropylene parts
AU - Kuklik, Julian
AU - Henzler, Matthias
AU - Staehr, Richard
AU - Jaeschke, Peter
AU - Kaierle, Stefan
AU - Overmeyer, Ludger
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 Author(s).
PY - 2024/11
Y1 - 2024/11
N2 - Laser transmission welding (LTW) is a well-established technique for joining high-volume thermoplastic parts, such as automotive injection molded parts. For low-volume, prototype, and custom production, additive manufacturing is an emerging technology for producing complex thermoplastic parts. When compared to injection molding, the additive manufacturing process fused filament fabrication (FFF) results in an inhomogeneous structure with entrapped air within the volume. Additionally, the presence of short glass fibers in the polymer matrix leads to higher radiation scattering during the welding process. This paper presents a fundamental study of the weldability of additively manufactured fiber-reinforced parts. The specimens were fabricated using a FFF process with glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene (GF-PP). The study investigates the influence of layer thickness and line width of the FFF process on the optical transmittance. LTW-experiments were conducted using additively manufactured uncolored and black GF-PP samples. Lap shear test specimens were welded with a different energy per unit length. This research presents a process for welding additively manufactured GF-PP parts that can be used with optimized FFF-parameters to produce high-strength and durable prototypes or spare parts for the automotive industry. This research provides valuable insights into the process parameters and considerations required to achieve robust welds in additively manufactured thermoplastic parts, facilitating broader adoption of LTW in additive manufacturing contexts.
AB - Laser transmission welding (LTW) is a well-established technique for joining high-volume thermoplastic parts, such as automotive injection molded parts. For low-volume, prototype, and custom production, additive manufacturing is an emerging technology for producing complex thermoplastic parts. When compared to injection molding, the additive manufacturing process fused filament fabrication (FFF) results in an inhomogeneous structure with entrapped air within the volume. Additionally, the presence of short glass fibers in the polymer matrix leads to higher radiation scattering during the welding process. This paper presents a fundamental study of the weldability of additively manufactured fiber-reinforced parts. The specimens were fabricated using a FFF process with glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene (GF-PP). The study investigates the influence of layer thickness and line width of the FFF process on the optical transmittance. LTW-experiments were conducted using additively manufactured uncolored and black GF-PP samples. Lap shear test specimens were welded with a different energy per unit length. This research presents a process for welding additively manufactured GF-PP parts that can be used with optimized FFF-parameters to produce high-strength and durable prototypes or spare parts for the automotive industry. This research provides valuable insights into the process parameters and considerations required to achieve robust welds in additively manufactured thermoplastic parts, facilitating broader adoption of LTW in additive manufacturing contexts.
KW - additive manufacturing
KW - fused filament fabrication (FFF)
KW - glass fiber reinforcement
KW - laser transmission welding
KW - polypropylene
KW - transmissivity
KW - weld seam strength
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85210732721&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2351/7.0001625
DO - 10.2351/7.0001625
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85210732721
VL - 36
JO - Journal of laser applications
JF - Journal of laser applications
SN - 1042-346X
IS - 4
M1 - 042011
ER -