Functionalization

Additive manufacturing offers many new possibilities for the integration of functions in parts or assemblies due to the toolless production and a high achievable complexity. There is a rising industrial endeavor to complex and individual parts. Methods like selective laser sintering allow the production of prototypes and meet the requirements of adjusted small batches. The integration of functions can be achieved by different ways. By systematic modification of the raw material through addition of fillers or additives, properties like thermal conductivity but also mechanical properties can be increased. The selection of suitable additives in combination with further procedure steps makes the application of conductive tracks on the part surface possible, allowing the production of high complex parts with individual circuit layouts.

As a result, the Institute of Polymer Technology deals with targeted integration of additives and filling materials in powder materials and the resulting challenges in terms of process management like powder coating and melting behavior. In addition, the correlation between powder modifying as well as process behavior and the resulting part properties is investigated. On a component level, the achievable functions like an increased thermal conductivity or the application of conductive tracks are characterized to exploit the process specific possibilities.