Secondary use of ABS co-polymer recyclates for the manufacture of structural elements using the FFF technology

Abstract

Purpose The aim of this paper is presenting a new application of material obtained from the acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) recycling process from electronic equipment housings. Elements of computer monitors were used to prepare re-granulate, which in turn was used to manufacture a filament for fused filament fabrication (FFF) additive manufacturing technology. Design/methodology/approach The geometry of test samples (i.e. dumbbell and bar) was obtained in accordance with the PN-EN standards. Samples made with the FFF technology were used to determine selected mechanical properties and to compare the results obtained with the properties of ABS re-granulate mould pieces made with the injection moulding technology. The GATE device manufactured by 3Novatica was used to make the prototypes with the FFF technology. Processing parameters were tested with the use of an Aflow extrusion plastometer manufactured by Zwick/Roell and other original testing facilities. Tests of mechanical properties were performed with a Z030 universal testing machine, a HIT 50P pendulum impact tester and a Z3106 hardness tester manufactured by Zwick/Roell. Findings The paper presents results of tests performed on a filament obtained from the ABS re-granulate and indicates characteristic processing properties of that material. The properties of the new secondary material were compared with the available original ABS materials that are commonly used in the additive technology of manufacturing geometrical objects. The study also presents selected results of tests of functional properties of ABS products made in the FFF technology. Originality/value The test results allowed authors to assess the possibility of a secondary application of used elements of electronic equipment housings in the FFF technology and to compare the strength properties of products obtained with similar products made with the standard injection moulding technology.

Recycling of ABS operating elements obtained from industry 3D printing machines

“…A high value of this material feature seem to have stemmed from the beneficial parameters adapted to layering the filament in the FFF technology. In this case, previous own experience has been used [34]. Despite the fact that the formerly mentioned technological voids in the structure of the ABS specimen have occurred, the registered images of the fractures confirm the fact that the consecutive threads and layers are packed and melted well (Fig.…”

“…The literature gives a great deal of information on the secondary use of ABS recyclates obtained by injection molding mainly. However, there are also known attempts undertaken to process ABS electronic equipment waste into the material enabling its re-use as an input material for the fused filament fabrication [34]. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of reports on the attempts at managing the ABS terpolymer waste obtained from industry 3D printers in order to produce filament.…”

“…1.5%), the materials under research act in a similar manner. This stands for minimization of voids throughout the volumes of products, registered for the FFF technology [34]. Preliminary observations of fractures in the specimens made by the additive technique stand for the fact that a combination of both the applied adjacent threads and the product layers have been done well.…”

Static mechanical properties of virgin and recycled short glass fiber‐reinforced polypropylene produced by pellet additive manufacturing

“…Along with recycling, design approaches based on topology optimization can be synergically used to reduce the waste of plastics taking advantage of AM technologies 3 . For these reasons, recycled polymer materials for 3D printing became recently available, such as recycled linear low‐density polyethylene (rLLDPE), 4 acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (rABS), 5–8 polycarbonate (rPC), 9 polypropylene (rPP), 10,11 polyethylene terephthalate (rPET), 12 or polylactic acid (rPLA). 8,13–15 …”

Assessment of the surface and structure of elements produced in additive manufacturing technology after chemical treatment

“…Additive manufacturing technologies, as opposed to conventional technologies for producing elements from polymer materials, are characterized by high surface roughness. This phenomenon is caused by the layered deposition of plasticized material [1]. The side walls of the produced model have grooves where the layers meet, which is caused by the geometry of the nozzle outlet [2].…”