Feedstock material property - process relationships in fused deposition of ceramics (FDC)

Fused deposition of ceramics (FDC) is a solid freeform fabrication technique based on extrusion of highly loaded polymer systems. The process utilizes particle loaded thermoplastic binder feedstock in the form of a filament. The filament acts as both the piston driving the extrusion and also the feedstock being deposited. Filaments can fail during FDC via buckling, when the extrusion pressure needed is higher than the critical buckling load that the filament can support. Compressive elastic modulus determines the load carrying ability of the filament and the viscosity determines the resistance to extrusion (or extrusion pressure). A methodology for characterizing the compressive mechanical properties of FDC filament feedstocks has been developed. it was found that feedstock materials with a ratio (E/eta(a)) greater than a critical value (3 x 10(5) to 5 x 10(5) s(-1)) do not buckle during FDC while those with a ratio less than this range buckle.