Experimental study aiming to enhance the surface finish of fused deposition modeled parts

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is an additive technology that suffers badly from low surface quality, requiring hand finishing for even the most basic levels of part quality. In this paper the authors study the influence of FDM machining parameters on acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) prototypes surface finish. The surface finish of products after the modification of extrusion parameters has been measured and processed through designed experiments. The chemical post-treatment does not require human intervention and has led to a significant improvement in surface finish at the expense of a negligible change in the prototype size. (C) 2009 CIRP.