Page 47 - Plastics News Issue May 2025
P. 47
FEATURE NEWS
adjusted the printer parameters to deposition critical role in enhancing interlayer adhesion, the
speeds of 30 mm/s and 90 mm/s, and a layer primary failure point in 3D-printed PVC.
height of 0.4 mm, ensuring sufficient time for in-
terlayer diffusion while maintaining dimensional Looking Ahead
accuracy. This research brings clear, real-world benefits.
Manufacturers can harness PVC’s cost-effec-
tiveness and chemical resistance to push the
boundaries of 3D printing. They can create high-
performance components for medical devices,
automotive parts, and intricately designed pip-
ing for construction. Moreover, consumer goods
makers gain new freedom to design durable,
technically advanced products.
Quantifying Performance Gains
Dow’s team is exploring several promising di-
The mechanical testing evaluated distinct orien- rections. One is developing acrylic additives for
tation configurations to fully characterize the 3D flexible PVC, which is harder to process due to
printed PVC’s anisotropic behavior. Specimens plasticizer migration. Another focus is scaling the
were prepared in X-Y and Z directions, with dog- technology for industrial pellet extrusion sys-
bone samples punched either parallel or perpen- tems that print large structural parts. The most
dicular to the print lines. Acrylic processing addi- intriguing effort is early work on multi-material
tives significantly improved elongation at break printing, where acrylic additives could improve
in the direction perpendicular to printing layers, adhesion between different polymers in hybrid
increasing ductility from ~6–10% (control) to structures.
~7–12%. Moreover, specimens showed a 360% Source – Plastics Engineering
increase in yield load (from 9.3 lbf to 43.6 lbf)
with 4 PHR additive loading. This confirms their
May 2025 PLASTICS NEWS 47
