This study aims to compare the accuracy offered by 3D Slicer Software in printing end-use parts inside a Fused Deposition Modeling process of Additive Manufacturing. The purpose, in particular, is to investigate the surface quality and the dimensional stability of the manufactured parts comparing the effect of selecting a different 3D Slicer tool among Simplify3D, Cura and Slic3r 3D. With this scope, parts were produced using these process tools while results were analysed in terms of accuracy, production time and consumption of material. Results, graphically and visually presented, show significant differences in the dimensional and surface accuracy with an optimum outcome offered by the Simplify3D as best 3D slicer tool. The Simplify3D slicer has essential advantages in printed end-use parts because creates the 3D models with significantly better accuracy and quality support.
This paper presents the advantages and the process of making of complex functional parts using additive manufacturing technology. Design and manufacturing of components were performed at the Laboratory for Technology of Plasticity and Processing Systems at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Banja Luka. The parts were designed using SolidWorks and Catia software packages. Then, CatalystEX and Simplify3D software packages were used to process the CAD model and to prepare it for 3D printing, which included defining of the process parameters, generating layers and support. Functional parts were produced on 3D printers based on the principle of material extrusion. The results of this study show that additive manufacturing technology, specifically technology based on material extrusion, enables very fast production of complex functional parts, with high accuracy and much lower costs and development time compared to conventional technologies.
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