| Abstract Scope |
The introduction of Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) in industries has revolutionized the process of rapid prototyping. Yet, this technology is hindered by a critical physical limitation of the inability to print huge components in one go. As engineers and designers seek to make large scale structures, they are forced to segment their designs and rely on post-process assemblies. However, these assemblies often come at a cost of structural integrity. Traditional joining methods require chemical adhesion or use of mechanical fasteners, which create heterogeneous interfaces between the surfaces. Adhesives like cyanoacrylates and epoxies introduce discontinuity in the material properties, by forming a brittle bond, leading to instant failure during tensile or torsional loading. Alternatively, using fasteners like screws, nuts and bolts not only require major design changes, but also introduce stress concentration points. To address these limitations, this research validates a scalable joining method of Consumable Tool Friction Spin Welding (CTFSW). |