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2023
Conference Paper
Title
Atmospheric pressure plasma sources for additive manufacturing
Abstract
Adhesion plays a central role in additive manufacturing (AM) processes like Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM). The printed part needs sufficient adhesion to the build plate. The adhesion in between the printed material layers defines the mechanical strength of the component. Post-processing processes such as painting or bonding require good chemical coupling, as does the combination of different materials (FDM of different polymers, integration of metal inserts).
Unfortunately, sufficient adhesion is not given for all material combinations. An interesting and flexible possibility to influence the surface chemistry and thus the chemical bonding are surface functionalization by using atmospheric pressure plasma technologies. These have been used for many years with great success for the surface treatment of polymers. Depending on the plasma parameters used, it is possible to clean and etch surfaces, to functionalise surfaces with reactive chemical groups, to deposit layers or to cross-link polymers. While this is already used for treatment of 2D and 3D substrates in many applications, the integration of new functionalities by plasma into additive manufacturing processes is of great interest. This allows new functionalities to be integrated into 3D-printed components and simplifies further processing.
At the Fraunhofer IST various approaches of small atmospheric pressure plasma sources are under development which can be easily integrated into the additive manufacturing process. Small point-shaped plasma modules for the sequential treatment of defined areas were built-up and integrated into commercially available FDM printers. With these plasma sources, the plasma treatment of defined areas of the components is possible during 3D printing. Integrated plasma sources enable moreover the in-situ treatment of internal surfaces which are subsequently no longer accessible for other treatment processes. This can create new products and expand the scope of additive manufacturing.
Unfortunately, sufficient adhesion is not given for all material combinations. An interesting and flexible possibility to influence the surface chemistry and thus the chemical bonding are surface functionalization by using atmospheric pressure plasma technologies. These have been used for many years with great success for the surface treatment of polymers. Depending on the plasma parameters used, it is possible to clean and etch surfaces, to functionalise surfaces with reactive chemical groups, to deposit layers or to cross-link polymers. While this is already used for treatment of 2D and 3D substrates in many applications, the integration of new functionalities by plasma into additive manufacturing processes is of great interest. This allows new functionalities to be integrated into 3D-printed components and simplifies further processing.
At the Fraunhofer IST various approaches of small atmospheric pressure plasma sources are under development which can be easily integrated into the additive manufacturing process. Small point-shaped plasma modules for the sequential treatment of defined areas were built-up and integrated into commercially available FDM printers. With these plasma sources, the plasma treatment of defined areas of the components is possible during 3D printing. Integrated plasma sources enable moreover the in-situ treatment of internal surfaces which are subsequently no longer accessible for other treatment processes. This can create new products and expand the scope of additive manufacturing.
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Conference