Vacuum components obtained by 3D printing using biodegradable plastic

Abstract

This work investigated the behavior of vacuum components obtained by 3D printing using a biodegradable plastic called PLA (polylactic acid). This material was chosen because it has low cost and low environmental impact. The most used printing technique for this material is the fused filament fabrication (FFF) type. The vacuum components were obtained from the deposition of molten PLA filaments. However, traditional printing techniques are not optimized for vacuum behavior. Therefore, a unidirectional deposition method was developed, which significantly increased the performance. Furthermore, surface treatments were carried out to further enhance the results, making it possible to obtain vacuum components for operation in the 1 mbar range possible.