Evaluation of the Support Structure Removal Techniques for Additively Manufactured Ti6AL4V Parts

Support structures are required for overhanging surfaces in additive manufacturing to prevent part deformation. However, these support structures are undesirable because they are removed during postprocessing after the part is built. It is critical to remove metal support structures because they can...

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Main Authors: Wadea Ameen, Abdulrahman Al-Ahmari, Muneer Khan Mohammed, Osama Abdulhameed
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2022-01-01
Series:Advances in Materials Science and Engineering
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/2259974
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author Wadea Ameen
Abdulrahman Al-Ahmari
Muneer Khan Mohammed
Osama Abdulhameed
author_facet Wadea Ameen
Abdulrahman Al-Ahmari
Muneer Khan Mohammed
Osama Abdulhameed
author_sort Wadea Ameen
collection DOAJ
description Support structures are required for overhanging surfaces in additive manufacturing to prevent part deformation. However, these support structures are undesirable because they are removed during postprocessing after the part is built. It is critical to remove metal support structures because they can occasionally leave residue on the part. Among the various support-removal techniques, manual removal and wire electrical discharge machining (EDM) are the most frequently used. While most manufacturers recommend the manual method due to its economic benefits, it may be challenging for thin walls, small-scale components, and brittle materials. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare these two methods, taking into account both their advantages and disadvantages. The results indicate that while manual support-removal is quick, it results in a degraded surface topography and increased surface roughness due to support tooth remnants and residue. The wire EDM method of removing support resulted in a more uniform surface topography and a superior surface finish. However, as a result of thermal damage, a heat-affected zone developed on the machined surface.
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language English
publishDate 2022-01-01
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series Advances in Materials Science and Engineering
spelling doaj-art-e3410f89bba5494bbf3ece300685bc042025-08-20T03:21:07ZengWileyAdvances in Materials Science and Engineering1687-84422022-01-01202210.1155/2022/2259974Evaluation of the Support Structure Removal Techniques for Additively Manufactured Ti6AL4V PartsWadea Ameen0Abdulrahman Al-Ahmari1Muneer Khan Mohammed2Osama Abdulhameed3Industrial Engineering DepartmentIndustrial Engineering DepartmentRaytheon Chair for Systems Engineering (RCSE Chair)Industrial Engineering DepartmentSupport structures are required for overhanging surfaces in additive manufacturing to prevent part deformation. However, these support structures are undesirable because they are removed during postprocessing after the part is built. It is critical to remove metal support structures because they can occasionally leave residue on the part. Among the various support-removal techniques, manual removal and wire electrical discharge machining (EDM) are the most frequently used. While most manufacturers recommend the manual method due to its economic benefits, it may be challenging for thin walls, small-scale components, and brittle materials. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare these two methods, taking into account both their advantages and disadvantages. The results indicate that while manual support-removal is quick, it results in a degraded surface topography and increased surface roughness due to support tooth remnants and residue. The wire EDM method of removing support resulted in a more uniform surface topography and a superior surface finish. However, as a result of thermal damage, a heat-affected zone developed on the machined surface.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/2259974
spellingShingle Wadea Ameen
Abdulrahman Al-Ahmari
Muneer Khan Mohammed
Osama Abdulhameed
Evaluation of the Support Structure Removal Techniques for Additively Manufactured Ti6AL4V Parts
Advances in Materials Science and Engineering
title Evaluation of the Support Structure Removal Techniques for Additively Manufactured Ti6AL4V Parts
title_full Evaluation of the Support Structure Removal Techniques for Additively Manufactured Ti6AL4V Parts
title_fullStr Evaluation of the Support Structure Removal Techniques for Additively Manufactured Ti6AL4V Parts
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of the Support Structure Removal Techniques for Additively Manufactured Ti6AL4V Parts
title_short Evaluation of the Support Structure Removal Techniques for Additively Manufactured Ti6AL4V Parts
title_sort evaluation of the support structure removal techniques for additively manufactured ti6al4v parts
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/2259974
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AT muneerkhanmohammed evaluationofthesupportstructureremovaltechniquesforadditivelymanufacturedti6al4vparts
AT osamaabdulhameed evaluationofthesupportstructureremovaltechniquesforadditivelymanufacturedti6al4vparts