Criteria selection for a comparative study of functional performance of Fused Deposition Modelling and Vacuum Casting processes

Additive Manufacturing Technologies is one of the enabling technologies within the industry 4.0. However, there are other more traditional manufacturing processes to develop polymer parts and can compete in efficiency and effectiveness as is the Vacuum Casting. In this paper, this technology is compared with one of the most used Additive Manufacturing technologies for polymeric parts such as Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM). In this way a comparative will be established between the two processes, based on the functional performance of products obtained with both processes, based on the most important parameters in each one. To achieve this end, the process will be analysed, as well as the problems inherent to them and the most common defectology in the parts obtained. The functional integrity of the pieces will be quantified according to the surface characteristics (surface roughness) as well as the mechanical characteristics (tensile strength). With the data obtained, it is possible to establish a possible alternative, with a traditional process to additive manufacturing processes for a certain range of parts with certain characteristics.