Adhesive bonding of 3D-printed plastic components

Tensile strength of adhesive bonds with three different commercial epoxy resins and laser sintered polyamide 12 (PA 12) has been evaluated by means of Centrifugal Adhesion Testing Technology (CATT, LUMiFrac Adhesion Analyzer). Different post treatment states (as received and chemically smoothed) and pre-treatment states (as received and atmospheric plasma) of the PA 12 surface have been considered. It has been shown that the epoxy resins infiltrate the surface porosity of the laser sintered material, which leads to a special fracture pattern. Tensile strength of the adhesive bonds has been significantly improved after atmospheric plasma pretreatment. Chemical smoothing had a neglicable effect on the tensile strength of the tested specimens, but lead to a change in fracture pattern, especially without atmosphric plasma pretreatment.