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Layer formation mechanisms in extrusion-based additive manufacturing with liquid metals
Dissertation

Layer formation mechanisms in extrusion-based additive manufacturing with liquid metals

Steven Peyron
Washington State University
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
12/2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000008352
pdf
Steven Peyron_Dissertation final1.97 MB
Embargoed Access, Embargo ends: 02/26/2028 CC BY-NC-SA V4.0

Abstract

additive manufacturing Extrusion based additive manufacturing metal additive manufacturing
The investment in metal additive manufacturing has improved the technology though there are still aspects of the technology that can be further studied. Extrusion based additive manufacturing (EAM) will explore lower melting point metals as printable materials. In order to further explore EAM several hurdles need to be overcome including the construction of printers capable of printing liquid metal using EAM. Two printers were designed, developed and manufactured to explore liquid metal EAM. The liquid metal EAM process has unique characteristics that are not present in traditional EAM and as such the development of the printers are not trivial. Molten metals generally exhibit Newtonian, inertially driven flow, and high surface tension which is the opposite of traditional EAM feedstock characteristics. The molten metal properties require back pressure to enable printing which is counter to current printing methods. The visualization of the print bed is also required to inspect the filaments as they are being formed. The first printer was developed to explore low temperature metals up to 120°C. With the manufactured printer the layer formation mechanisms are explored to gain an understanding of this printing process. To understand the layer formation mechanisms of the EAM several samples were printed. To gain understanding we isolated the vertical and horizontal layer interactions by printing flat plates and single layer walls. In the walls and plates, we controlled several variables the spacing between filaments, the temperature, and the printing speed we printed samples that had a minimum number of layers. We measured the samples using laser profilometry to quantify the layers and the deposition of the metal, then using the actual profile picked out the peaks and valleys of the filaments. Using the known values we create a profile of what would be the filament deposition in traditional EAM. We take those profiles in conjunction with the actual profile of the samples analyzing the deposition unique to liquid metal EAM. Lastly we redesigned and manufactured a printer for metal EAM that will be able print engineering materials such as aluminum.

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