Abstract
There are many methods of incorporating more than one material in Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes. Oak Ridge National Laboratory has developed a unique solution that enables in-situ material switching by developing a dual-hopper feed system for Cincinnati’s Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) system. Continuous extrusion during a step-change in material feedstock results in a unique blended material transition region that exhibits a heterogeneous internal morphology. To improve mixing of materials during extrusion, a customized static-mixing nozzle was created for use with the BAAM. Single-bead transitions from Material A to B and B to A were printed with the mixing nozzle at a specified screw speed. Compositional analysis tracked the progression of the material transition as a function of extrudate volume. The resulting transition curves were compared against a standard nozzle configuration. Optical microscopy of cross-sections also demonstrated that the static-mixing nozzle promoted a more uniform bead geometry as well as a more homogeneous internal structure throughout the material transition.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | SAMPE 2022 Conference and Exhibition |
| Publisher | Soc. for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781934551417 |
| State | Published - 2022 |
| Event | SAMPE 2022 Conference and Exhibition - Charlotte, United States Duration: May 23 2022 → May 26 2022 |
Publication series
| Name | International SAMPE Technical Conference |
|---|---|
| Volume | 2022-May |
Conference
| Conference | SAMPE 2022 Conference and Exhibition |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | Charlotte |
| Period | 05/23/22 → 05/26/22 |
Funding
The authors would also like to acknowledge funding from the State of Tennessee and Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) through their support of the Center for Materials Processing. Research sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Advanced Manufacturing Office, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with UT-Battelle, LLC.
Keywords
- Additive Manufacturing
- Multiple Materials
- Polymer Extrusion