Proposta de diretrizes de projeto para manufatura aditiva por extrusão de material usando filamento com carga metálica

Abstract

This dissertation proposes Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) guidelines applied to the material extrusion process with metal-loaded filaments (metal MEX), focusing on the production of stainless steel parts. This process enables the fabrication of complex parts with precision and economic viability, without the need for molds or specific tooling. Currently, the literature lacks specific guidelines for the MEX process, which presents several intrinsic challenges related to the debinding and sintering (D&S) stages, requiring design adaptations to ensure the structural integrity of the parts. Therefore, this research was conducted using the Design Science Research (DSR) method with the goal of consolidating the existing knowledge in the literature and complementing the guidelines with a practical study. The method included the selection of geometries provided by a partner company, process planning, manufacturing, execution of D&S processes, subsequent inspection of the results for failure analysis, and investigation of potential causes. The developed artifact — namely, the proposed DfAM guidelines for metal MEX — was built from the observation of the manufacturing experiments, which are the parts produced and inspected, combined with insights from literature. The results showed that applying specific guidelines can support the manufacturing process of parts via metal MEX by reducing the number of defects. The compiled set of proposed guidelines includes design and process planning recommendations, covering feasibility assessment, definition of print orientation, use of support structures, adaptation of wall thicknesses, and rounding of corners, as well as scale considerations. These serve as a technical reference for professionals interested in exploring the technology, while also highlighting the inherent challenges of the process.