Investigation of erosion wear behavior and incubation period of 3D-printed ABS, PLA and Nylon-CF

Purpose This study aims to investigate the erosion wear behavior of three-dimensional (3D)-printed Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polylactic acid (PLA) and Nylon-CF (Nylon Carbon Fiber) parts with jet impingement test using alumina (Al2O3) particles. The effects of build orientation and impingement angle on erosion wear behavior were investigated. Design/methodology/approach ABS, PLA and Nylon test specimens with build orientations of 0°, 45° and 90° were fabricated using a 3D printer. Erosion wear tests were conducted on these specimens at impingement angles of 30°, 60° and 90°. The erosion wear rate was determined by measuring the weight loss. EDX analysis and SEM images were obtained to find the wear characteristics. Findings The build orientation affected the wear resistance of ABS slightly, whereas the orientation caused more significant differences in PLA and Nylon-CF. On the other hand, 90°-oriented Nylon-CF composite gained mass, unlike other materials. From this point on, the incubation period specific to the composites was investigated by gradually increasing the amount of abrasive. The abrasive mass up to 5,000 g eventually finalized the incubation period and stabilized the weight loss of Nylon-CF. EDX results and SEM images were interpreted together, proving that the mass gain in Nylon-CF was due to the embedding of alumina particles in the matrix. Originality/value This study contributed to the literature to better understand the erosion wear behavior of the most used polymer-based materials produced with 3D printing. The incubation period detected in the Nylon-CF sample, which was found to be due to particle embedding, added another originality.