Free download: https://analyzing-testing.netzsch.com/en/landingpages/additive-manufacturing-book -- Laser-based powder bed fusion of plastics (PBF-LB/P) enables the production of architected cellular structures, which have potential applications as replacements for foams in products that mitigate vibrations and shocks. However, products such as bike saddles, shoe soles, and paddings tend to be costlier when PBF-LB/P is employed. The additional costs are attributed to the raw material, the extended manufacturing duration, and the required post-production steps. To justify the elevated prices of 3D printed products, an additional value must be added through features such as customization, weight reduction, enhanced ventilation, or superior shock absorption. To realize these features via PBF-LB/P, a powder that can be passively melted and shaped like plastic but possesses the elastic characteristics of rubber is needed. Consequently, lattice structures are often fabricated using thermoplastic elastomers, notably thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). TPUs are characterized as having nanophase-separated systems with alternating hard and soft segments. The phase separation between these hard and soft segments gives TPU its unique elastic properties. The hard phases are responsible for TPU's strength and toughness, while the soft phases provide elasticity. The reason for this behavior is that TPUs are linear segmented block copolymers. The hard segments are made by combining a short-chain diol with an isocyanate. The soft segments consist of polyether or polyester chains. By varying the composition and combination of these segments, TPUs with a diverse range of attributes can be synthesized. As a result, thermoplastic elastomers show a comparatively wide range of thermal and rheological properties, making determining optimal processing conditions for such powders in PBF-LB/P particularly challenging.     «

Free download: https://analyzing-testing.netzsch.com/en/landingpages/additive-manufacturing-book -- Laser-based powder bed fusion of plastics (PBF-LB/P) enables the production of architected cellular structures, which have potential applications as replacements for foams in products that mitigate vibrations and shocks. However, products such as bike saddles, shoe soles, and paddings tend to be costlier when PBF-LB/P is employed. The additional costs are attributed to the raw material, the extend...     »