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Design and Construction of A Fusion Depo
Design and Construction of A Fusion Depo
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of Work
The 3-Dimensional Printing Technology (also known as Additive Manufacturing) is a massive
technology that has gained sustained popularity in almost all facets of human activities- aerospace,
architecture, art, engineering, fashion, humanitarian aids, medicine, manufacturing, product design,
research, education, etc. The most existing manufacturing technologies for manufacturing marine
engineerng components, such as Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining, create objects by
starting with a large block of material and using a tool to cut pieces away until you're left with the
object that you want. In contrast, 3D printing is an additive manufacturing process. Instead of
subtracting away from an existing piece of material, 3-D printing starts with a blank slate and then
adds materials to it. This additive process is driven by a microcontroller, which guides a set of
motors that moves a print head in three dimensions. The movement of this print head is guided by a
digital design file which is read by the printer's motherboard. As the print head moves, it softens
or hardens material in an additive manner from either the bottom up or the top down. The
application of 3-D printing machine on board vessels can make significant contributions towards
reducing the downtime of vessels in distress. Imagine such vessels equiped with computers that
stores database of 3-D CAD files or images of the malfunctioned ship or engine parts; from nuts to
bolts, all the way up to complex engine parts. Then the printer would print, made-to-spec
replacement in a matter of minutes to hours.
As this technology is gradually comimg of age in the Twenty-first Century, it becomes imperative
that the marine engineers and naval architects should plunge into the developmental progression of
this technology with respect to maritime world development. The 3-Dimensional Printing
technology has the potential to reduce the requirement to hold expensive stocks of spare parts, and
allow a much greater flexibility in developing custom made parts. It can revolutionize the
characteristics of many spare part supply chains in the maritime world where supply chain can be
very costly.
1.2 AIM
The aim of this project is to build a Fusion Deposition Modeling 3D Printing machine that can be
used to produce prototypes of marine engineering components
1.3 Objective
To build a fusion deposition modeling 3D printing machine.
Installation of Cura software on a computer to communicate with the machine.
Using CAD software to design a marine engineering component like a fixed pitch Propeller.
Using the machine to print out a prototype of the marine fixed pitch propeller
1.4 Scope
This project would be concentrated on building a desktop size 3-Dimensional printing machine
which works on Fusion Deposition modeling printing principle using plastic filament. In addition,
the parts to be printed will be seen as functional prototype parts, meaning that the purpose of
printing them is primarily to learn about the printing process and possibilities. The parts are not
intended to be used as operational service parts after the project.
CHAPTER TWO
MATERIALS AND METHOD
2.1 Pre Assembly of the 3D Printing Machine
Extensive literature and tutorials on tips and instructions on how to build 3D printing machines from
scratch were found via internet on registered websites like coursera.org, instructables.org,
autodesk.com/designacademy, etc. Paid tutelage and information on these internet sites provided the
basic and intermediate skills to understand the coupling and assembling of the various parts and
components of the machine.
Contact was established with Shenzhen Yite Technology Company Limited, China. This company
design components used in buiding 3D printing machine, conduct advance research on 3D printing
technology and actually build 3D printing machines. The Components of the 3D printing machine
assembled in this project was purchased from this Chinese company.
Mainframe structural formation was achieved using sets of T-slotted aluminium frames of
various dimensions and sizes. The frames were held in position using M5*8 bolt and nut.
Next installation of Y-axis stepper motor and its axial motion support was done.
The tray and bed assembly unit was installed at the centre of the mainframe; the bed
assembly was linked to the Y-axis stepper motor via timing belt.
The X-axial motion unit, X-axial motion support unit, Z-axial motion unit and Pulley
assembly unit were all intalled in position using M5*8 bolt and nut. Timing belt was
installed that linked the X-axial motion unit and X-axial motion support unit.
Installation of nozzle suit unit on the T-slotted frame that linked the X-axial motion unit and
pulley assembly unit was done using M5*8 bolt and nut.
Installation of the extruder motor unit was done using M5*8 bolt and nut on top of the
machine structure.
Teflon filament tube that linked the extruder port to the nozzle pot was installed.
Installation of Acrylic board to the machine was done using using plastic braace with M5*8
bolt and nut.
On the acrylic board, touch screen display, microcontroller mainboard were installed using
M3*16 bolt and nut.
The power unit was also installed on the acrylic board using M3*8.
Limit switches were installed at X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions using platic brace with
M2*8.
Let’s consider a line width of 0.4mm; to determine the layer height, the following formula is used-
Layer Height = Flow/LineWidth×Speed = 15/0.4×150 = 0.25mm.
Extruder: Based on the hotend maximum flow, the filament speed as controlled by the
extruder motor is determined using the formula below;
Filament Speed = 4×Flow/π×Filament Diameter^2 = 4×15/π× (1.75)2 = 6.23mm/s
XYZ Stepper Motors Maximum RPM: Stepper motors have a unique torque revolution
per minute curve duet to the way they work. They start with a high torque which slowly
decrease with speed. To determine the maximum RPM of the stepper motor, the formula
below was applied;
Max RPM = (Voltage/inductance×2×current×steps) ×60
But, XYZ stepper motors have the following characteristics:
Step angle = 1.80
Rate voltage = 2.55V
Phase inductance = 2.8mH = 0.0028H
Rate Current = 1.7A
Step/Rev = 42
Max RPM = (2.55/0.0028×1.7×42)×60
= 382.6 RPM.
Belt
The general note regarding the belt is the pulley diameter. It is the effective diameter where linear
angular motion are linked. The printer has 20 Teeth, GT2 2mm pitch pulley.
Pulley Radius = Teeth×Pitch/2π = 20×2/2π = 6.36mm
Length moved by a full pulley turn = 20×2mm = 40mm
X- Axis Belt
Max RPM = (Speed/Pulley Turn)×60
= (150/40)×60 = 225RPM
Angular acceleration = Linear Acceleration/Pulley Radius = 1500/6.36 = 235.8rads/s2
Y-Axis Belt
Angular acceleration = Linear Acceleration/Pulley Radius = 1500/2 =750rads/s2
3D printing machines normally print out digital file models that are designed and modeled using
engineering CAD softwares. Some of these engineering CAD softwares that support 3D printing
technology includes- AutoDesk Fusion 360; AutoDesk Inventor; AutoCAD; AutoDesk 3D Max;
AutoDesk. In the course of this project, AutoDesk Fusion 360 CAD software was used to design
some of the marine engineering components prototypes that were printed out or produced. Figures
below show the screenshots of components modeled with AutoDesk Fusion 360 CAD
Fig 2.6 An Impeller Modeled with AutoDesk Fusion 360 CAD
Fig 2.7 Wrench designed and Modeled with AutoDesk Fusion 360 CAD
CHAPTER THREE
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
3.1 Analysis and Findings
The purpose of this project was to build a Fusion Deposition Deposition Modeling 3D printing
machine, and to demonstrate how it works by producing marine engineering components prototype.
This FDM printing machine make use of plastic filament (PLA) for printing purposes.
3.1.1 Prototyping Process: The process of prototyping with respect to 3D printing technology
involved design thinking process. The flow chart of the overall process is presented below.
3D CAD 3D
STL FILE CURA SD CARD
MODEL PRINTING
Fig 3.1 Flow Chart for Prototyping Process
Ferry Prototype: This ship prototype took about 9Hours: 45mins for the machine to print it
out.
Engine Piston Prototype: This engineering component took the machine about
3Hours:55mins to be printed out.
Figure 3.4 An Engine Piston prototype produced ET-i3UMONINYANGASLAN
Ship Wheel and Wrench: This two items took about 1hour to be printed out.
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Figure 3.9 Cat model after cleaning the support structure away
If you are printing with PLA or ABS, you need to know that the plastic will get pretty stiff
after cooling down - so cleaning the support structure can take quite some time. Also, you
need to pay attention not to damage your print, especially if you use a knife or a power tool
like a Dremel.
CHAPTER FOUR
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
4.1 Summary
The purpose of this project was to design and construct a 3D Printing machine that was
capable of producing marine components. This was to help in exploring the opportunity 3D
printing provides in the maritime industry, while at the same time raising the awareness and
level of knowledge about 3D print and additive manufacturing within the industry. The
hope of the author is that this article will spark the imagination of readers and generate new
ideas for using 3D printing in naval architecture.
4.3 Limitations
The material used for manufacturing/printing in the course of this project was the PLA
material. What this implies is that the printed products were meant to be only prototypes
because of the nature of the material used and could not be used as operational service parts
for ships.
In addition, despite its apparent simplicity, the technology requires hard-won expertise to
be used at its full potential. The system itself is very simple to set up but the special kind
of application in a ship model basin demands a very thorough understanding of the
process and there is a learning curve. So getting the technology started is fairly easy but
for the full potential, you need experience, knowledge and know-how.
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of producing class approved operational spare parts. Of particular interest are Metal
filaments (i.e. metals in powdered form)
REFERENCES
Atzeni E. & Salmi, A. (2012); Economics of Additive manufacturing for End- Usable
Metal Parts. The International Journal of advance Manufacturing Technology 62 (9-12):
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Kumar S. (2017); The Seven Technologies That Can Change the Future of Shipbuilding,
http://www.marineinsight.com/future-shipping/shipbuilding-technologies/[Online].
Huang, S., Liu, P., Mokasdar, A., & Hou, L. (2013); Additive Manufacturing and Its
Societal Impact: a Literature Review. The International Journal of Advanced
Manufacturing Technology. 67 (5-8), 1191-1203.
Walter, M., Holmstrom, J., Yrjola, H. (2004); Rapid manufacturing and its Impact On
Supply Chain Management. Logistics Research Network Annual Conference, September
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Khajavi, S. H., Partanen, J., & Holmstrom, J. (2013); Additive Manufacturing in the Spare
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www.pwc.com/us/gainingaltitude
Daniel Cohen, Katy George, & Colin Shaw (2015); Are you ready for 3D Printing?
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d-printing
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Mark Cotteleer, Jim Joyce ( 2014); 3D opportunity: Additive manufacturing Paths to
performance, innovation, and growth. https://dupress.deloitte.com/dup-us-en/deloitte-
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