Optimizing FDM Process Parameters for Efficient Spur Gear Manufacturing

Abstract

Gears are critical technological elements present in almost all machines. Plastic gears, therefore, play a crucial role in various objects such as toys, didactical projects, prototypes, etc. For these applications, gear design requires precision, and traditional manufacturing methods prove to be expensive and limited in use. Our study focuses on spur gear production using additive manufacturing, specifically employing Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). This technology proves to be more efficient in terms of weight, cost, and manufacturing time. To analyze optimal FDM parameters, we considered manufacturing time and the amount of consumed material as the two responses. The optimization of these two responses is based on several parameters (layer thickness, number of shells, infill pattern, and density) related to the FDM process. To achieve this, an optimal experimental plan (D-optimal) was established, and a statistical study was conducted to formulate a suitable mathematical model. The use of the Response Surface Method (RSM) aimed to optimize the model's response and identify ideal values for the printing parameters. In this article, we present the optimal input parameters to reduce manufacturing time and material consumption when printing a spur gear.