Page 62 - eBook_Proceedings of the International Conference on Digital Manufacturing V1

Proceedings of the International Conference on Digital Manufacturing –
Volume 1

CONCLUSION

This study examined the thermal performance of two enclosure
materials Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) and blockboard used
during Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) 3D printing to assess
their effectiveness in maintaining a stable ambient temperature.
Across a 200-minute print cycle, the PMMA enclosure
consistently outperformed its counterpart, the blockboard,
achieving higher average and peak temperatures, tighter
temperature control, and better heat retention overall. This stable
environment played a key role in enhancing print quality,
particularly by minimising warping and promoting stronger
interlayer adhesion. The blockboard enclosure, while more
economical, delivered moderately effective results. It maintained
reasonable thermal stability, but fell short compared to PMMA in
sustaining the conditions required for printing with temperature-
sensitive materials, like ABS. The open-frame setup, lacking any
form of enclosure, performed the worst, showing frequent
temperature fluctuations and producing prints with noticeable
defects. These results highlight the importance of selecting
suitable enclosure materials in FDM printing, particularly when
working with high-temperature filaments. PMMA proved highly
effective due to its insulation properties and consistent thermal
regulation. Moving forward, exploring hybrid materials or
incorporating active heating solutions may provide further
improvements in enclosure design, ultimately leading to more
reliable and higher-quality 3D printing outcomes.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors acknowledge the financial support from Erasmus+
CBHE project GetInnovative4Impact, funded by the European
Union (Project Number: 101083121). Views and opinions
expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not
necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the
European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible
for them.

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