Pressure drop non-linearities in material extrusion additive manufacturing: A novel approach for pressure monitoring and numerical modeling

Fused Filament Fabrication is an additive manufacturing technique in which molten thermoplastic polymers are extruded through a nozzle. Therefore, the interplay between the viscoelastic nature of the polymer melt, temperature, printing conditions and nozzle shape may lead to inconsistent extrusion. To improve the extrusion control and...

Generating reversible interlocking structures for non-compatible FDM polymers

In the field of 3D printing, Multi Material Additive Manufacturing (MMAM) has gained substantial recognition, as it offers interesting new possibilities. MMAM allows the combination of diverse polymers to create products with enhanced, composite properties. However, a significant challenge emerges when chemically incompatible polymers are...

Designing an interactive hinge with shape memory alloys and polymers

This research aims to design and simulate a hinge consisting of shape-memory alloys and polymers, which can be actuated along two axes. The hinge consists of a shape-memory body that is actuated externally by shape-memory alloy springs. To achieve maximum deformation, two small single hinges are made, of which the body has the shape of a plate...

Life Cycle Assessment of microfluidic devices for point-of-care testing: A comparative analysis of PDMS, paper and PLA

In microfluidics, typical laboratory processes can be condensed to a miniature device. This reduces analysis time and required volumes of samples and reagents, increases mobility and flexibility, and is cost effective. In this work, the environmental impacts of three microfluidic devices for glucose detection are assessed using a comparative...

Microstructural characterization of crack-healing enabled by bacteria-embedded polylactic acid (PLA) capsules

The current study investigates short-term and long-term crack-healing behaviour of mortars embedded with bacteria-based poly-lactic acid (PLA) capsules under both ideal and realistic environmental conditions. Two sets of specimens were prepared and subjected to different healing regimes, with the first set kept in a mist room for varying...

Recycling 3D Prints: Enabling material reuse in prototyping facilities

In Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) for rapid-prototyping, the 3D printed parts usually have a short life, generating a constant stream of waste material and lost value. This issue becomes more relevant in the early stages of product development, where 3D printed prototypes become rapidly obsolete due to design iterations and advances in the...

Getting a grip on the Ultimaker 2. Tensile strength of 3D printed PLA: A systematic investigation

3D printing using material extrusion is increasingly considered as a means to produce not just prototypes, but also final parts. This has accelerated research of the strength of printed parts. With 1461 printed tensile bars tested, this study adds a systematic investigation to the existing body of knowledge, assessing the influence of layer...

Ape & Banana: A new user experience for collecting bio-based disposables at festivals

This paper reports a study on the implementation of a bio-plastic material (PLA) for disposables at the Lowlands Music Festival. The main aim of the study is to develop a system which motivates Lowlands festival visitors to litter their PLA disposables effectively. In the paper, littering behavior of festival visitors, their norms and values are...

Deelstudie Verwerking Baggerspecie: Sanering Kralingse Plas

In de baggerspecie afkomstig uit de Kralingse Plas kunnen twee soorten vervuilingen voorkomen, namelijk lood en nutriënten. Het doel is dan ook, een verwerkingsmethode te bepalen, die voor beide vervuilingen geschikt is. Een relatief goedkope en toch redelijk effectieve methode voor de verwerking van de saneringsbaggerspecie uit de Kralingse...