Vibration monitoring for in-situ health assessment of 3D printed polymer structure

Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) or 3D printing is a promising manufacturing process nowadays due to its high precision and automation ability. Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is the most common type of polymer that is utilized in this area. However, the mechanical properties of this printed polymer are still being investigated. In this paper, crack propagation prediction in ABS polymer will be investigated under thermo-mechanical loads. Shaker and heat mat will be used to apply such a load on ABS specimens with different pre-identified crack depths at a specific location. Ultimately, the behaviour of the crack can be determined in an empirical correlation by using the natural frequency of the components and environmental temperature as inputs. The findings will offer an in-situ damage assessment tool for ABS polymers under thermo-mechanical loads in which manufacturing process parameters could be optimized for better fracture properties.