An investigation of service life behavior of 3D-printed hybrid polymer bearing using fused deposition modeling (FDM) method

Polymer-bearing usage has been increasing recently, especially in sectors where hygiene is important. These bearings have advantages due to their resistance to corrosion, even with most chemicals. Besides, they do not require additional lubrication. Contrary to the expectation, polymer bearings are generally more expensive than conventional steel bearings. 3D printing of polymer bearings could be a solution to specific requirements; however, additive manufacturing processes have their own problems. Since the materials used in production with the 3D method are polymer-based, whether the bearings produced with this method can be used instead of the original polymer bearings has become a new research topic. Therefore, in this study, in order to examine the distinctive behavior throughout its service life, a new hybrid polymer bearing was developed using steel balls taken from the original polymer bearing, both inner and outer bearings of which were produced with a 3D printer, to create hybrid polymer bearings, using the Fused Deposition Method (FDM) has been obtained. Bearings are tested under load, and vibration data are acquired in order to investigate their fatigue behavior during their service life. The results indicate that Additive Manufacturing offers a workable way to create a polymer hybrid ball bearing. However, when the values obtained for both bearings are examined, it is seen from the test results that the strength of the bearings produced by the FDM method could be better.