DESIGN FOR MULTI-MATERIAL MANUFACTURING USING POLYJET PRINTING PROCESS: A REVIEW

Additive manufacturing (AM) of thermosetting polymer materials has been a topic of interest since the early days of technology development but has not gotten the attention of the common thermoplastic processes. AM's general capability to produce intricate geometries along with a wide range of material properties has made it one of the primary manufacturing options for multi-material manufacturing, a major niche for thermosetting resins and similar materials. These multi-material structures are formed by strategically placing materials with different mechanical properties to enhance material performance significantly. As a result, interest in multi-material additive manufacturing (MM-AM) has increased dramatically in the last decade. While on the one hand, MM-AM has introduced new opportunities for design engineers, on the other hand, it has also increased the design considerations required to manufacture the part successfully. This paper reviews the major literature on the topic from the perspective of product and material system design, focusing on the material jetting approach, most commonly known as the PolyJet process. Specific topics include design advancements, materials, and challenges while printing MM-AM components with PolyJet. Findings on four broad topics are discussed, including the effect of interface on material properties, testing standards, established material and material combinations, and design guidelines for MM-AM. Additional design criteria needed for MM-AM are summarized for design engineers to help create reliable components with predictable mechanical behavior.