Purpose

This study aims to demonstrate for the first time that the cheap, commodity polymer, poly(propylene), can be successfully processed using high speed sintering, and that it can be recycled several times through the process, with little to no detriment to either the polymer itself or the parts obtained. This is significant as a step towards the realisation of high speed sintering as a technology for high-volume manufacturing.

Design/methodology/approach

A poly(propylene) powder designed for laser sintering was used to build parts on a high speed sintering machine. The unsintered powder was then collected and reused. Repeating this process allowed creation of seven generations of aged powder. A variety of characterisation techniques were then used to measure polymer, powder and part properties for each generation to discern any effects arising from ageing in the machine.

Findings

It was found that poly(propylene) could be used successfully in high speed sintering, albeit with a low build success rate. Increased powder age was found to correlate to an increase in the build success rate, changes in microscopic and bulk powder properties and improvement to the dimensional accuracy of the parts obtained. By contrast, no discernible correlations were seen between powder age and polymer molecular weight, or between powder age and the tensile properties of parts.

Originality/value

This is the first report of the use of poly(propylene) in high speed sintering. It is also first study regarding powder recyclability in high speed sintering, both in general and using poly(propylene) specifically.

中文翻译：

---

粉末老化对聚丙烯高速烧结的影响

目的

本研究旨在首次证明廉价的商品聚合物聚（丙烯）可以使用高速烧结成功加工，并且可以在该过程中多次回收利用，对聚合物本身或获得的部件。这是实现高速烧结作为大批量制造技术的重要一步。

设计/方法/方法

设计用于激光烧结的聚（丙烯）粉末用于在高速烧结机上制造零件。然后收集并重新使用未烧结的粉末。重复这个过程可以产生七代老化粉末。然后使用各种表征技术来测量每一代的聚合物、粉末和零件特性，以辨别机器老化引起的任何影响。

发现

发现聚（丙烯）可以成功地用于高速烧结，尽管构建成功率较低。发现粉末老化的增加与构建成功率的增加、微观和散装粉末特性的变化以及所获得零件的尺寸精度的提高相关。相比之下，粉末年龄与聚合物分子量之间或粉末年龄与部件的拉伸性能之间没有明显的相关性。

原创性/价值

这是在高速烧结中使用聚丙烯的第一份报告。这也是关于高速烧结中粉末可回收性的首次研究，无论是一般情况下还是特别使用聚丙烯。