Influence of the desktop 3D printer type on mechanical properties of printed part

Razvojem računalne tehnologije postavili su se novi zahtjevi u obliku ubrzanja proizvodnje te povećanje kvalitete i raznovrsnosti proizvoda na tržištu. Kao odgovor na nove trendove pojavio se koncept brzog razvoja proizvoda (eng. Rapid Product Development) , čije su mnogobrojne inačice prije desetak godina obuhvaćene izrazom - aditivna proizvodnja (eng. Additive Manufacturing). Aditivna proizvodnja podrazumijeva, na temelju računalnog modela, dodavanje materijala sloj po sloj tvoreći na taj način trodimenzionalni proizvod. U modernoj industriji, aditivna tehnologija svoju primjenu pronalazi prije svega kod maloserijske proizvodnje složenih geometrija, gdje je zahtijevana preciznost izrade. Jedna od aditivnih tehnika jest nanošenje rastaljenog polimernog materijala (eng. Fused Filament Fabrication - FFF), razvijena 2005. godine. Naime, uporabom 3D pisača, polimerni materijal u obliku filamenta se tali te se kao i kod ostalih aditivnih procesa, nanosi u slojevima prateći konture računalno modelirane konstrukcije. U začetcima, 3D pisači koristili su se za izradu prototipova, međutim danas se njima izrađuju konačni proizvodi. Ekspanzijom proizvođača, a samim time i modela, potencijalnim investitorima se značajno otežao izbor 3D pisača jer vrsta i model samih uređaja izravno utječu na svojstva proizvoda.The development of computer technology has imposed new requirements for products offered in the market in terms of variety, quality, and production acceleration. The concept of Rapid Product Development and its numerous versions, which have been grouped under the term Additive Manufacturing, emerged in response to these recent trends. Additive Manufacturing encompasses the creation of a three-dimensional object by layering materials, with a computational model of the product as the basis. This type of construction is nowadays most commonly applied in small-scale manufacturing of complex geometries, a field that requires high precision to detail. An example of a technique used in Additive Manufacturing is Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), developed in 2005: filament-shaped polymer material is melted using a 3D printer and applied in layers in accordance with the contours of the computermodeled construction, which is a procedure followed in all Additive Manufacturing processes. While 3D printers were used for prototyping when they were first developed, today they are used to create final products. With the expansion of manufacturers, and subsequently printer models, potential investors might have a hard time choosing the perfect 3D printer, as the device type and model directly affect product quality