EXAMINATION OF MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF FASTENERS PRODUCED WITH PET AND PLA MATERIALS IN EXTRUSION-BASED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING METHOD

Additive manufacturing methods, with their potential to revolutionize many areas, especially spare parts production, enable the optimization of the supply chain in production processes with an on-site production approach. The increased number of users of additive manufacturing methods and easy access to material extrusion-based methods can potentially transform the manufacturing industry. In this study, to investigate the production performance of fasteners, which are indispensable components of the manufacturing industry, with additive manufacturing. This study focuses on the torque strengths, hardness, and microscope images of bolts and nuts produced by material extrusion-based additive manufacturing (MEX) using PLA (Polylactic Acid) and PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) polymers with different production parameters. Unlike conventional manufacturing methods, M8x50 DIN (German institute for standardization) 933 bolts and M8 DIN 934 nuts were produced. The bolts produced were positioned on the MEX device in two different positions. The torque forces applied to the bolts were measured in mechanical tests. Hardness was measured, and bolt thread surfaces were examined using a stereo microscope. Data on the usage limits of polymeric bolts were determined with the data obtained.