Page 53 - eBook_Proceedings of the International Conference on Digital Manufacturing V1

Evaluating Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) and Blockboard as Enclosure
Materials for Ambient Stability in FDM Printing

Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) is a versatile polymer
known for its optical clarity and mechanical properties, and ability
to exhibit interesting thermal insulation characteristics. PMMA's
thermal insulation properties are primarily influenced by its
structure, density, and the presence of additives or fillers (Mayer
& Randel 2009). The thermal conductivity of PMMA can be
significantly altered by manipulating these factors, making it a
material of interest for thermal management applications.
However, wood-based materials such as blockboard,
characterised by laminated wooden core panels, present potential
benefits due to their insulating properties and cost-effectiveness
(Siciliano et al., 2023) . Blockboard, a type of engineered wood
product, is widely used in furniture and interior construction due
to its mechanical strength and dimensional stability. As a potential
enclosure material for 3D printing applications, its thermal
insulation characteristics are of interest. Structurally, blockboard
consists of a core made from softwood strips laminated between
layers of plywood or veneer. This layered configuration creates
small air pockets within the board, which contributes to its ability
to reduce heat transfer, thereby offering basic thermal insulation.

The thermal performance of blockboard is also influenced by
its density and wood composition. Generally, lower-density
blockboards contain more trapped air, which acts as a natural
insulator due to air’s low thermal conductivity. However, denser
boards may exhibit slightly higher thermal conductivity due to the
reduced volume of air spaces (Zhang, Li & Han, 2015). Despite
their widespread use, comparative studies addressing the thermal
performance of PMMA and blockboard enclosures specifically
for FDM processes are limited. This research investigates the
comparative performance of PMMA and blockboard enclosures
for stabilising ambient temperatures during the FDM 3D printing
process. The findings from this research aim to provide valuable
insights into selecting appropriate enclosure materials to optimise
print quality and efficiency in temperature-sensitive 3D printing
applications.

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