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A Design of Experimental Approach to Determine the Effect of Process Parameters on Strength of SLS Parts


Affiliations
1 Dept. of Mechanical Engg., National Institute of Technology, Warangal, India
2 Dept. of Mechanical Engg., University College of Engg., Osmania University, Hyderabad, India
     

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Rapid prototyping (RP) technique has come to stay as one of the promising techniques for cutting down product development time by way of realizing a touch and feel prototype or a prototypecomponent that can be directly used in assemblies, product testing, or tooling for short or medium run production. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is a leading process for developing rapid prototype objects by selectively fusing layers of powder according to numerically defined cross sectional geometry. The parts produced by SLS have lower strength than the parts produced by conventional techniques like injection moulding. The part strength is affected by the various process parameters used in SLS process. Three parameters, namely, laser power, scan spacing and part orientation were identified and the range of the parameters for the present investigation. In the present work an attempt has been made to study the affect of these parameters on part strength. Taguchi method of experimental design is used to plan the experiments. The experiments were conducted by using DuraForm PA (polyamide) powder on a DTM Sinter station 2500plus SLS rapid prototyping machine. The experimental results are summarized by using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) method where significant main factors and their interactions are identified. The relationship plots between the part strength and process parameters are obtained by using MATLAB 6.0 software. This paper gives the results of the study and the conclusions drawn from it.
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  • A Design of Experimental Approach to Determine the Effect of Process Parameters on Strength of SLS Parts

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Authors

Y. Ravi Kumar
Dept. of Mechanical Engg., National Institute of Technology, Warangal, India
C. S. P. Rao
Dept. of Mechanical Engg., National Institute of Technology, Warangal, India
T. A. Janardhan Reddy
Dept. of Mechanical Engg., University College of Engg., Osmania University, Hyderabad, India

Abstract


Rapid prototyping (RP) technique has come to stay as one of the promising techniques for cutting down product development time by way of realizing a touch and feel prototype or a prototypecomponent that can be directly used in assemblies, product testing, or tooling for short or medium run production. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is a leading process for developing rapid prototype objects by selectively fusing layers of powder according to numerically defined cross sectional geometry. The parts produced by SLS have lower strength than the parts produced by conventional techniques like injection moulding. The part strength is affected by the various process parameters used in SLS process. Three parameters, namely, laser power, scan spacing and part orientation were identified and the range of the parameters for the present investigation. In the present work an attempt has been made to study the affect of these parameters on part strength. Taguchi method of experimental design is used to plan the experiments. The experiments were conducted by using DuraForm PA (polyamide) powder on a DTM Sinter station 2500plus SLS rapid prototyping machine. The experimental results are summarized by using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) method where significant main factors and their interactions are identified. The relationship plots between the part strength and process parameters are obtained by using MATLAB 6.0 software. This paper gives the results of the study and the conclusions drawn from it.