Optimization of Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing of Silicon Carbide-Filled Filament Through Thermal Diffusivity Evaluation

This study explores the use of the Laser Flash Analysis (LFA) technique to optimize the Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing (MEX) process of hybrid filaments composed of a polymer matrix reinforced with SiC. The optimization of the Ceramic Fused Filament Fabrication (Ceramic-FFF) process was carried out by investigating three key printing parameters-print speed, cooling fan speed, and bed temperature-through two distinct factorial experimental designs. The thermal diffusivity of the produced green parts was used as the primary response variable. Thermal diffusivity proved to be a critical property for detecting differences among samples fabricated under varying processing conditions, differences that were not identifiable through SEM observations or density measurements alone. Finally, the optimized green parts were compared with samples produced using conventional manufacturing methods, such as compression molding and injection molding, providing an index of quality for the parts prior to debinding and sintering.