EFFECT OF POST-PROCESSING TECHNIQUE ON THE MECHANICAL, TRIBOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR AND SURFACE CHARACTERISTICS OF 3D-PRINTED ACRYLONITRILE STYRENE ACRYLATE PARTS

Abstract

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is an extrusion-based three-dimensional (3D) printing technique that can find applications in communications, fashion, architecture, aerospace, automotive, medicine, and the education sector. The FDM printed part is affected by poor surface quality resulting from higher layer resolution and stair-stepping effects. Hence, this work aims at studying the effect of chemical treatment on the surface roughness, hardness, tensile strength, UV transmittance and tribological behavior of the acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) parts printed by the FDM process. Two different solvents namely, acetone and dichloromethane are considered for improving the surface finish of the ASA parts. The chemical treatment reduces the surface roughness, tensile strength, wear rate and improves the hardness by dissolving the external surfaces of printed specimens. The maximum surface finish and lesser UV transmittance are achieved from the sample treated with acetone. The higher hardness and low wear rate are noticed on the samples treated with dichloromethane.