Applied Chemical Engineering

Minimizing environmental footprint in FDM additive manufacturing: Analyzing process efficiency through advanced optimization techniques

Raja S.

Center for Advanced Multidisciplinary Research and Innovation, Chennai Institute of Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, 600069, India

Maher Ali Rusho

Masters of Engineering in Engineering Management, Lockheed Matin Engineering Management, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado,80308, United States

Pandi Thimothy

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lendi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Jonnada, Vizianagaram , Andhra Pradesh, 535005, India

Mohammed Ahmed Bahar

Al-Mamoon University College, Baghdad, 10012, Iraq

Mustafa Egla Kadhim

College of Pharmacy, Al-Turath University, 10081, Baghdad, Iraq

Shahad Abdullah Shwan

Medical Laboratories Techniques, Al-Farahidi University, Baghdad, 00965, Iraq

Zainab Nizar Jawad

Department of Biology, College of Education for Pure Sciences, University of Kerbala, Kerbala, 56001, Iraq Department of Optics Techniques, Al-Zahrawi University College, Kerbala, 56001, Iraq

Mohammed Ahmed Mustafa

Department of Biology, College of Education, University of Samarra, Samarra, 34010, Iraq

Avvaru Praveen Kumar

Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Applied Natural Science, Adama Science and Technology University, Adama,1888, Ethiopia Department of Chemistry, Graphic Era (Deemed to Be University), Dehradun, Uttarakhand, 248002, India

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/ace.v7i4.5533

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Abstract

Considering the high energy and material consumption, the environmental impact of additive manufacturing through FDM has faced significant criticism. For a more sustainable production process, industries require efficient optimization of the FDM process to lower environmental impact while retaining process efficiency. This study utilizes advanced multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methodologies, specifically the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), to evaluate and enhance the environmental performance of FDM. Focusing on standard thermoplastic materials (e.g., PLA and PETG) and applications such as functional prototyping, we optimize key parameters layer height, print speed, and infill density to achieve reductions in energy usage (20%) and material waste (15%) compared to baseline FDM practices. These findings not only highlight a pathway toward greener FDM processes but also lay the groundwork for future research in sustainable optimization frameworks, applicable to other additive manufacturing methods and materials.

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