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A comprehensive review on surface quality improvement methods for additively manufactured parts

Abdul Wahab Hashmi (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics Lab, Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur, India)
Harlal Singh Mali (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics Lab, Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur, India)
Anoj Meena (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics Lab, Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur, India)

Rapid Prototyping Journal

ISSN: 1355-2546

Article publication date: 7 September 2022

Issue publication date: 2 March 2023

2

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the functionality of additively manufactured (AM) parts, mainly depending on their dimensional accuracy and surface finish. However, the products manufactured using AM usually suffer from defects like roughness or uneven surfaces. This paper discusses the various surface quality improvement techniques, including how to reduce surface defects, surface roughness and dimensional accuracy of AM parts.

Design/methodology/approach

There are many different types of popular AM methods. Unfortunately, these AM methods are susceptible to different kinds of surface defects in the product. As a result, pre- and postprocessing efforts and control of various AM process parameters are needed to improve the surface quality and reduce surface roughness.

Findings

In this paper, the various surface quality improvement methods are categorized based on the type of materials, working principles of AM and types of finishing processes. They have been divided into chemical, thermal, mechanical and hybrid-based categories.

Research limitations/implications

The review has evaluated the possibility of various surface finishing methods for enhancing the surface quality of AM parts. It has also discussed the research perspective of these methods for surface finishing of AM parts at micro- to nanolevel surface roughness and better dimensional accuracy.

Originality/value

This paper represents a comprehensive review of surface quality improvement methods for both metals and polymer-based AM parts.

Graphical abstract of surface quality improvement methods

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Science and Engineering Research Board, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India for supporting this work through the grant DST-SERB EMR/2016/003372.

Citation

Hashmi, A.W., Mali, H.S. and Meena, A. (2023), "A comprehensive review on surface quality improvement methods for additively manufactured parts", Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 29 No. 3, pp. 504-557. https://doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-06-2021-0133

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited

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