Thermo Mechanical Modeling of Selective Inhibition Sintered Thermoplastic Parts

Abstract

Contemporary product design and development efforts of various engineering organizations have experienced the emergence of Additive Manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing technology as a competent fabrication option for converting digital data into physical parts without using part-specific tools or fixtures. This paper presents the results of coupled field structural thermal analysis carried out on an innovative variant of AM technology called selective inhibition sintering wherein near net shape parts are fabricated through sintering of thin layers of powdered material while inhibiting the boundaries. Thermal gradients that are inherent to the process cause significant residual stresses affecting the part stability. Hence this study evaluates the effect of layer thickness and heater spot size on temperature gradient, displacement and thermal stress of two different polymers is assessed by numerical analysis. Results of the current study are relevant to enhancing the quality of sintered polymer parts with reference to dimensional fidelity and stability.