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Hybrid Manufacturing and Mechanical Characterization of Cu/PLA Composites

  • Research Article-Mechanical Engineering
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Abstract

Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) is a widely used additive manufacturing process. It utilizes a variety of homogeneous and heterogeneous materials for product development. A new manufacturing process termed as Hybrid Fused Deposition Modelling (HFDM) has been used for the manufacture of various copper metal mesh (99.99% pure)/PLA (polylactic acid or polylactide) plastic composites. These products have been subjected to standardized experimental testing for evaluating properties such as tear resistance, tensile strength, water absorption, hardness, and flexural strength. The tests have been conducted to analyse the effectiveness of the HFDM process in manufacturing stronger composites compared to commercially available PLA and copper-infused PLA. Microstructural characterization has also been carried out to analyse the bond between the plastic and metal mesh layers. The results have been promising and demonstrate the effectiveness of HFDM to produce Cu/PLA composites with superior mechanical properties compared to parent FDM-printed PLA plastic as well as copper-infused FDM-printed PLA. Multiple copper mesh layers have been placed strategically within the test specimens to study their effect on the composites made by HFDM. The experimental results show that the process is capable of manufacturing high-quality composites (Cu/PLA) with tailored properties for various engineering applications.

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This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1SQ, UK

    Javaid Butt, Peter Oxford, Shabnam Sadeghi-Esfahlani, Mohammad Ghorabian & Hassan Shirvani

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  1. Javaid Butt
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  2. Peter Oxford
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  3. Shabnam Sadeghi-Esfahlani
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  4. Mohammad Ghorabian
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  5. Hassan Shirvani
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Correspondence to Javaid Butt.

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Butt, J., Oxford, P., Sadeghi-Esfahlani, S. et al. Hybrid Manufacturing and Mechanical Characterization of Cu/PLA Composites. Arab J Sci Eng 45, 9339–9356 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-020-04778-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-020-04778-y

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