Enhancing surface roughness of material extrusion additive manufacturing components via an innovative ironing process

Extrusion-based 3D printing is widely used in various industries, enabling the rapid creation of prototypes and functional parts at a lower cost compared to traditional technologies. However, one limitation of this technology is the surface finish of the components, where the roughness is not optimal. This paper presents a solution to improve the surface finish of components by leveraging the principles of ironing and ball burnishing. The tool, appropriately heated and passed over the component, smooths out imperfections by uniforming the surface profile. Unlike the traditional ironing method, the use of this tool reduces processing times and enhances surface roughness with a simpler construction and control mechanism compared to a conventional hot-end. The average surface roughness obtained is Ra = 0.796μm; these values are comparable to those obtained by grinding. The geometry of the tool tips can vary significantly based on specific applications.