PVA Filament Flexibility via PEG and Metal Salt
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fused deposition modeling (FDM) type additive manufacturing materials based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) resins face issues with molding stability and flexibility, particularly when formulated into filament form, which affects their ability to be wound and accurately manufactured into products.
Innovation Solution
A FDM material comprising a PVA-based resin, polyethylene glycol with a weight average molecular weight of 200 to 1,000, and a carboxylic acid metal salt in limited amounts, specifically designed to enhance flexibility and moldability, allowing for stable filament production and accurate manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a PVA-based resin is used as the additive manufacturing material, then water-solubility and safety are improved, but molding stability and flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material system consisting of PVA-based resin combined with polyethylene glycol and carboxylic acid metal salt. This composite approach allows the material to maintain the water-solubility and safety benefits of PVA while gaining the flexibility and moldability improvements from the added components, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the physical and chemical parameters of the PVA-based resin by controlling the degree of saponification (70-100 mol %) and average degree of polymerization (200-1,500), and by adding specific amounts of polyethylene glycol (1-50 parts by mass) and carboxylic acid metal salt (0.8 mass % or less). These parameter changes enable the material to achieve both water-solubility and improved flexibility for additive manufacturing.
2Ease of operation
If the material is formulated into filament form, then ease of handling is improved, but molding stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the molecular weight parameters of polyethylene glycol (200-1,000) and controls the composition ratios of all components to achieve the right balance between filament flexibility for handling and molding stability during printing. The specific parameter ranges ensure the filament can be handled easily while maintaining dimensional accuracy during additive manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The carboxylic acid metal salt acts as an intermediary component that mediates between the PVA-based resin and polyethylene glycol, enhancing the overall compatibility and performance of the composite material. This intermediary substance helps achieve both good filament handling characteristics and stable molding performance.
3Ease of manufacture
If heating is applied to melt the material, then moldability is improved, but thermal decomposition increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully selects and controls the degree of saponification (70-100 mol %) and average degree of polymerization (200-1,500) of the PVA-based resin to optimize the melting behavior. These parameter changes allow the material to melt at appropriate temperatures for additive manufacturing while minimizing thermal decomposition, thereby improving moldability without generating harmful decomposition products.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The material exhibits improved moldability and flexibility, enabling stable filament production and accurate manufacturing with reduced thermal decomposition, resulting in products with minimal shape and size deviations.
Implementation Method 1
it is considered that a PVA-based resin has been widely studied as a support-forming material... the material used therein is not only needs to be water-soluble, but also needs to be excellent in safety
Implementation Method 2
the additive manufacturing material may be molded into a filament form as a precursor before molding, and since the filament is to be wound on a reel, the flexibility is required
Implementation Method 3
the molding stability and the flexibility are not satisfactory... the fused deposition modeling type additive manufacturing material which has flexibility when molded into a filamentous or string material such as a filament, can exhibit an excellent manufacturing property
Implementation Method 4
the material used therein is not only needs to be water-soluble, but also needs to be excellent in safety
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention aims to provide a fused deposition modeling type additive manufacturing material which has flexibility when molded into a filamentous material such as a filament, and can exhibit an excellent manufacturing property when additive manufacturing is performed using a molded product thereof, and the fused deposition modeling type additive manufacturing material according to the present invention contains: a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin; a polyethylene glycol having a weight average molecular weight of 200 to 1,000; and a carboxylic acid metal salt in an amount of 0.8 mass % or less with respect to the polyvinyl alcohol-based resin.