Mechanical characterization of polyamide porous specimens for the evaluation of emptying strategies in Rapid Prototyping

Rapid-prototyping is usually considered as a powerful tool in geometric and functional optimization of a product. In such an approach, focus is exclusively on the real component, and not on the rapid prototype which represents it. This work takes part on a wider study which focuses on a rational, systematic approach in obtaining an ???optimized rapid prototype???, with particular regard to emptying strategies without loss of structural and geometric properties. In detail, a set of tensile tests have been performed on different types of specimen, which reproduce a set of corresponding emptying strategies: each type of specimen is characterized by a different percentage of porosity (40, 60 and 80%), obtained by the combination of particular values of two parameters: reticular structure and its density. As a result, the correlation between mechanical strength and geometric structure has been evaluated, allowing the identification of a profitable emptying strategy, in terms of cost and weight.