Effect of Print Density on the Properties of High Speed Sintered Elastomers

High Speed Sintering is an additive manufacturing process that creates parts by combining inkjet printing and infra-red lamps rather than laser systems employed in Laser Sintering. This research investigated the effects of altering the dosage of ink (via grayscale/dithering) on the properties of parts produced from elastomers. The results indicate that print density may be optimized to maximize mechanical properties and have achieved an elongation at break as high as 365 pct. The findings also open up the possibility of creating parts with added functionality. Using differing amounts of ink per layer it may be possible to create parts with varying properties throughout.