Effect of bed temperature and infra-red lamp power on the mechanical properties of parts produced using high-speed sintering

High-speed sintering is a new, layer-based, manufacturing process, based on printing consecutive cross-sections with a radiation-absorbing material, and exposing to an infra-red lamp, in order to initiate sintering of polymer powder particles in the appropriate profile. Research was carried out to determine the effects of varying process parameters on the mechanical properties of parts produced using this process. Results showed that increasing the temperature of the part bed led to an increase in the mechanical properties of the parts produced, and that increasing the infra-red lamp power had the same effect, but to a lesser degree. It was also found that these increases in process parameters led to a corresponding increase in the hardness of the unsintered powder, which could lead to difficulties with post-process powder removal.