Enhancing of Surface Quality of FDM Moulded Materials through Hybrid Techniques

With the rapid advancement of 3D-printing technology, additive manufacturing using FDM extrusion has emerged as a prominent method in manufacturing. However, it encounters certain limitations, notably in surface quality and dimensional accuracy. Addressing issues related to stability and surface roughness necessitates the integration of 3D-printing technology with traditional machining, a strategy known as the hybrid technique. This paper presents a study of the surface geometric parameters and microstructure of plastic parts produced by FDM. Sleeve-shaped samples were 3D-printed from polyethylene terephthalate glycol material using variable layer heights of 0.1 mm and 0.2 mm and then subjected to the turning process with PVD-coated DCMT11T304 turning inserts using variable cutting parameters. The cutting depth was constant at 0.82 mm. Surface roughness values were correlated with the cutting tool feed rate and the printing layer height applied. The selected specimen’s microstructure was studied with a Zeiss EVO MA 15 scanning electron microscope. The roundness was measured with a Keyence VR-6200 3D optical profilometer. The research results confirmed that the additional application of turning, combined with a reduction in the feed rate (0.0506 mm/rev) and the height of the printed layer (0.1 mm), reduced the surface roughness of the sleeve (Ra = 1.94 μm) and increased its geometric accuracy.