Theoretical and experimental investigation on improving the bonding neck of material extrusion products by using vibration

Purpose The purpose of this study is to reveal the mechanism of using vibration to improve the bonding neck of material extrusion (ME) products, so as to confirm the method to achieve the improvement of the product’s forming quality. Design/methodology/approach A novel method, using piezoelectric ceramic to apply longitudinal sinusoidal vibration field to the extrusion liquefier, is proposed and implemented to improve the built products’ bonding neck. The theoretical model is established based on the viscous sintering phenomenon of the extruded material filaments; a vibrating ME equipment is set up, with which different types of samples are prepared. With the scanning electron microscope, the bonding neck of the samples is analyzed; through the comparison between theoretical and experimental results, the proposed model is validated and the influencing rule of different vibrations used on the bonding neck is determined. Findings It is shown that the predictions and measurements in terms of bonding neck are in good agreement, validating the proposed model. The bonding neck will be increased with vibration used, and it will be further increased with the growth of vibration frequency or amplitude. Therefore, using vibration into ME process can help improve the forming quality of the built products. Research limitations/implications Future research can be focused on using the proposed model to investigate the effect of different forms of vibration (like square wave and triangular wave) on the ME parts’ bonding neck. Practical implications This study shows theoretical basis and technical insight into improving the forming quality of the ME parts. Originality/value Theoretical basis and principle to reveal the physical phenomena and mechanism of using vibration to improve the bonding neck of ME products, and thereby improve the product’s forming quality.