The use of ultrasound in the process of plastic parts additive manufacturing

Abstract

Despite huge prospects for the layer-by-layer synthesis of products, which makes it possible to produce parts of a unique shape, the widespread use of the method face the problems of making a proper microgeometry of the product surface, which due to the peculiarities of layer-by-layer production is rather rough, and mechanical methods of machine working often do not admit the possibility of figure-shaped parts post processing. The article studies the problem of ensuring the quality of the plastic parts surface layer obtained by additive technologies. For this purpose, it is proposed to use ultrasonic processing technologies. The existing methods of using ultrasonic vibrations in the production of plastic parts are analyzed: the manufacture of wire for 3D printing with additives, which results in an increase in the mechanical properties of the product. Besides, liquid treatment of a solvent-loaded product in order to remove supporting elements. Studies have been carried out on the finishing of parts in a solvent aerosol obtained by ultrasonic spraying. This method has a number of advantages in comparison with the treatment in solvent vapors obtained during its heating, which include the possibility of regulating the size of droplets, their moving speed, aerosol concentration, caused by changing the modes of ultrasonic treatment. As a result of experimental studies, it is found that the use of this treatment method eventuates an increase in the quality of the sample surfaces to be worked, and besides, it reduces the height parameters of roughness in the direction perpendicular to the layered growth of the product by more than a factor of ten. The mechanism of changing the microgeometry of the surface is as follows: when aerosol droplets contact the surface, part of the material forming the protrusions dissolves and fills valleys, while in the liquid state; after finishing the work, the material polymerizes, generating a surface with improved features.