Temperature Analysis of Nozzle in a FDM Type 3D Printer Through Computer Simulation and Experiment

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM), so called 3D Printing is a new manufacturing process and is getting attraction from many industries. There are several methods of 3D printing. Among them fused deposition modeling (FDM) type is most widely used by reason of cheap maintenance, easy operation and variety of polymeric materials. Articles manufactured by 3D printing have weak deposition strength compared with conventionally manufactured products. Deposition strength of FDM type 3D printed article is highly dependent of deposition temperature. Subsequently the nozzle temperature in the FDM type 3D printing is very important and it is controlled by heat source in the 3D printer. Nozzle is connected with heat block and barrel, and heat block contains heat source. Nozzle becomes hot through heat conduction from heat source. Nozzle temperature has been predicted for various thermal boundary conditions by computer simulation and compared with experimental measurement. Nozzle temperature highly depends upon thermal conductivities of heat block and nozzle. Simulation results are good agreement with experiment.