Development of a simple mechanical screening method for predicting the feedability of a pharmaceutical FDM 3D printing filament

Nasereddin, Jehad M., Wellner, Nikolaus, Alhijjaj, Muqdad, Belton, Peter and Qi, Sheng ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1872-9572 (2018) Development of a simple mechanical screening method for predicting the feedability of a pharmaceutical FDM 3D printing filament. Pharmaceutical Research, 35 (8). ISSN 0724-8741

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Abstract

Purpose: The filament-based feeding mechanism employed by the majority of fused deposition modelling (FDM) 3D printers dictates that the materials must have very specific mechanical characteristics. Without a suitable mechanical profile, the filament can cause blockages in the printer. The purpose of this study was to develop a method to screen the mechanical properties of pharmaceutically-relevant, hot-melt extruded filaments to predetermine their suitability for FDM. Methods: A texture analyzer was used to simulate the forces a filament is subjected to inside the printer. The texture analyzer produced a force-distance curve referred to as the flexibility profile. Principal Component Analysis and Correlation Analysis statistical methods were then used to compare the flexibility profiles of commercial filaments to in-house made filaments. Results: Principal component analysis showed clearly separated clustering of filaments that suffer from mechanical defects versus filaments which are suitable for printing. Correlation scores likewise showed significantly greater values with feedable filaments than their mechanically deficient counterparts. Conclusion: The screening method developed in this study showed, with statistical significance and reproducibility, the ability to predetermine the feedability of extruded filaments into an FDM printer.

Item Type: Article
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Pharmacy (former - to 2024)
Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
Faculty of Science > School of Chemistry (former - to 2024)
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Pharmaceutical Materials and Soft Matter
Depositing User: Pure Connector
Date Deposited: 01 Jun 2018 13:30
Last Modified: 15 Oct 2024 00:18
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/67266
DOI: 10.1007/s11095-018-2432-3

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