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IJMERR 2023 Vol.12(6): 339-346
DOI: 10.18178/ijmerr.12.6.339-346

Additive-Subtractive Process Chain for Highly Functional Polymer Components

Michael Baranowski1, Nikolas Matkovic1*, Sebastian Kleim1, Marco Friedmann1, Jürgen Fleischer1, Marlies Springmann2, Peter Middendorf2, Adrian Schäfer3, Marcel Waldhof3, and Nejila Parspour3
1. WBK Institute of Production Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
2. IFB-Institute of Aircraft Design, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
3. IEW-Institute of Electrical Energy, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
*Correspondence: nikolas.matkovic@kit.edu (N.M.)

Manuscript received January 6, 2023; revised April 19, 2023; accepted June 6, 2023.

Abstract—Additive manufacturing processes offer the possibility of producing components without using tools. Especially in mobility, new technologies are needed to make geometrically complex, functionally integrated and highly precise components. The Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) process is an additive manufacturing technique that offers easy handling and a large range of materials. However, the FFF process has a considerable shortcoming in dimensional accuracy. A process hybridization consisting of additive and subtractive steps was developed to eliminate this shortcoming. Applying subtractive work steps enables the precise integration of inserts and, thus, the production of highly functional polymer components. For this purpose, suitable demonstrators are derived from an example of a stator of a double-sided axial flux machine and the manufacturing process with the different working steps (additive & subtractive) is demonstrated. The focus is on increasing the dimensional accuracy and more precise integration of the inserts with the help of subtractive steps. Furthermore, non-planar overprinting during the additive manufacturing steps was investigated. The advantages of the combination of subtractive processing and non-planar printing were concluded.

Keywords—automated additive-subtractive manufacturing process, manufacturing accuracy of FFF-components, insert integration

Cite: Michael Baranowski, Nikolas Matkovic, Sebastian Kleim, Marco Friedmann, Jürgen Fleischer, Marlies Springmann, Peter Middendorf, Adrian Schäfer, Marcel Waldhof, and Nejila Parspour, "Additive-Subtractive Process Chain for Highly Functional Polymer Components," International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics Research, Vol. 12, No. 6, pp. 339-346, November 2023.


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