La finitura superficiale in Fused Deposition Modeling

Fused Deposition Modelling is a proven technology for the fabrication of both aesthetic and functional prototypes. The obtainable roughness is the most limiting aspect for its application. Indeed, the prediction of surface quality is an essential tool for the diffusion of this technology, in fact at product development stage, it allows to comply with design specifications and in process planning it is useful to determine manufacturing strategies. So a bidimensional model of the micro geometrical profile has been proposed, with the introduction of the measurement angle, the model has been extended to the third dimension. Because these models are not robust enough in predicting roughness parameters for all deposition angles, in particular for near horizontal walls. The neural networks have been used to determine roughness parameters models reliable over the entire part surface. By the utilization of an evaluation function the best solution has been found.