Page 57 - 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

heating phase, the temperature stabilises within a narrow range
between 67°C and 70°C for the subsequent 120 minutes.

This plateau indicates that the PMMA enclosure effectively
maintains a consistent thermal environment, which is essential for
the reliable processing of thermoplastics such as Acrylonitrile
Butadiene Styrene (ABS).

ABS is particularly sensitive to thermal fluctuations, and stable
enclosure temperatures are critical in mitigating defects such as
warping, delamination, and interlayer adhesion failure. In the final
50 minutes of the monitoring period, a gradual decline in
temperature is observed, with values decreasing to approximately
45°C by the 200-minute mark. This decline might occur as the
printer begins to cool down and the active heat diminishes.

Figure 8: The ambient temperature reading for PMMA
sheet enclosure

In summary, while the PMMA enclosure demonstrates
considerable efficacy in thermal regulation during the primary
phase of FDM operation, its performance diminishes during
prolonged use. To address this, enhancements, such as improved
thermal insulation or the integration of active heating

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