Integration of FDM surface quality modeling with process design

Fused Deposition Modeling is one of the earliest types of Additive Manufacturing technologies. In this process a physical object is fabricated directly from a Computer-Aided Design model using layer-by-layer extrusion of a feedstock plastic filament material through a nozzle. It was originally developed for design and functional prototype applications but, in the last decade, gained considerable recognition and adoption in industry due to the process simplicity, affordability, and ability to make parts in a range of common engineering thermoplastics. Thus Fused Deposition Modeling products must comply with tolerance and roughness requirements in order to satisfy a mechanical coupling or functionality. This work strives to develop an integrated methodology able to help the process design with the aim to goal the requirements. This method allows knowing in advance the surface quality of the Fused Deposition Modeling product at chosen process parameters. This way an ex ante product check is possible. Moreover the methodology can find the set of solutions when the requirements are prescribed on the product features: it is possible to define the technology capability and analyze the proposed fabrication conditions. This methodology is highly useful in process management also in conjunction with other operations and can help the computer aided process planning since it can predict admissible scenarios.