Gear Up for Change: Unveiling 3D Printing's Potential for Appliance Repair through Dynamic Testing of Gears

This study delves into the static and dynamic load testing of 3D-printed gears, addressing the potential of utilizing FDM 3D printing for repairing household appliances. The failure of electronic household appliances attributed to plastic gear malfunction has prompted an alarming number of products to be prematurely discarded due to a lack of available spare parts. The research emphasizes the transformative potential of 3D printing to streamline gear repairs, enabling rapid local production of gear replacements, and reducing costs and downtimes associated with conventional spare parts. PLA and ABS, the two most widely used 3D printing materials, underwent exhaustive static tests to determine maximum load-bearing capacities and accelerated fatigue tests to assess long-term performance. Results underscore the potential of the 3D printing process itself, highlighted by flexibility and shortened production timelines. However, limitations arise from the inferior mechanical properties of PLA and ABS as compared to traditional plastic gear materials such as nylon. PLA demonstrates promise under controlled temperatures but only with lubrication or metal contact, while ABS reveals inadequate mechanical and fatigue characteristics at higher torques.