T4F3: temperature for fused filament fabrication

Temperature fields and their variations in printed parts are the basis for understanding the physical process of fused filament fabrication (FFF). However, reliable temperature data are still rather limited to date. This article presents a three-dimensional transient-state model to simulate the temporal and spatial temperature variations in FFF printed parts. Model variables range from geometry dimensions and (dynamic) material properties to process parameters, covering all important physical phenomena, including conduction anisotropy and radiant heat transfer. The validation of the model is performed against six sets of experimental temperature data obtained with different geometries, machines, materials, processes, temperature measuring methods, etc. Insights in the thermal process are also reported. For example, the heat penetration depth in printing with poly(lactic acid) is limited to 3 mm, and the Biot number intimately characterises the reheating peaks in temporal profiles. This model shows the potential to become a standardised tool to study the thermal characteristics of FFF printed parts. It is made openly available on website https://iiw.kuleuven.be/onderzoek/aml/technologyoffer. Graphic abstract