1 Introduction 2 Laminated Object Manufacturing - LOM Uvod Proizvodnja laminiranih objekata Physical objects produced by rapid prototyping are mainly used as prototypes or models for other manufacturing processes. However, there is a tendency to improve these procedures, so that the prototypes can be used also as functional and finished products, and this requires the knowledge about the properties of the materials, e.g. mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. Apart from paper and metal that had been used until now, with LOM procedure it is possible to use also polymeric films, thus achieving improved mechanical properties. Apart from the procedure, the mechanical properties of the materials are affected also by some manufacturing parameters; e.g. the position of the product in the working area (it may influence the mechanical properties and aesthetic appearance of the prototype). LOM procedure is used to manufacture a prototype by lamination and laser finishing (cutting) of materials such as paper, polymeric films and foils, and of metal laminates. With polymeric foils better mechanical properties are achieved than with paper. The sheets are laminated into solid blocks by adhesion joining, clamping and ultrasonic welding. [1, 2, 3] Using heat and pressure each sheet, foil or paper is 253 A. Pilipović, P. Raos, M. Šercer ISSN 1330-3651 UDC/UDK 620.17:678.743.2 EXPERIMENTAL TESTING OF QUALITY OF POLYMER PARTS PRODUCED BY LAMINATED OBJECT MANUFACTURING – LOM Ana Pilipović, Pero Raos, Mladen Šercer Rapid prototyping procedures make it possible to produce relatively complicated geometries based on the computer 3D model of products in relatively short time. This requires that the respective product features have good quality, good mechanical properties, dimensional accuracy and precision. However, the number of available materials that can be used for prototyping is limited and their properties can differ significantly from the properties of the finished product. However, RP parts are not inexpensive and sometimes it is difficult to decide which procedure to use to manufacture them in order to obtain their maximal usability. The Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM) procedure can be used to produce low cost polymeric products (from poly(vinyl chloride)) that have to meet certain mechanical properties, especially if they are used to perform functional tests. Past studies in LOM procedure have been carried out mainly with paper, and a few on metal. The paper deals with testing the influence of the position of products in the machine working area on the mechanical properties (tensile and flexural properties) of the product. Key words: dimensional accuracy, flexural properties, LOM, roughness, tensile properties Preliminary notes Postupcima brze proizv likovati od svojstava ih izraditi da se dobije maksimalna korist od njih, ponekad je teško. Postupkom proizvodnje laminiranih objekata (LOM) (od poli(vinil-klorida)) Dosadašnja istraživanja kod LOM postupka odnosila su se na ispitivanje papira i nešto malo na metalu. proizvoda orevine (rastezna i savojna svojstva). odnje prototipova moguće je izraditi relativno komplicirane geometrije na temelju računalnog 3D modela tvorevine u relativno kratkom vremenu. Pritom se zahtjeva da odgovarajuća tvorevina bude dobre kvalitete, dobrih mehaničkih svojstava, dimenzijske točnosti i preciznosti. No broj raspoloživih materijala koje je moguće upotrijebiti za proizvodnju prototipova je ograničen i njihova svojstva se mogu dosta raz konačnog proizvoda. Međutim, RP dijelovi nisu jeftini i odlučiti kojim postupkom moguće je napraviti jeftinije polimerne tvorevine , koje moraju zadovoljiti određena mehanička svojstva pogotovo ako se pomoću njih provode funkcijska ispitivanja. U radu će se ispitati utjecaj položaja u izradbenom prostoru stroja na mehanička svojstva tv Ključne riječi: dimenzijska točnost, hrapavost, LOM, rastezna svojstva, savojna svojstva Prethodno priopćenje Eksperimentalno ispitivanje kvalitete polimernih tvorevina proizvedenih LOM postupkom Eksperimentalno ispitivanje kvalitete polimernih tvorevina proizvedenih LOM postupkom Technical Gazette 18, (2011), 2 253-260 adhered to the block and a new layer is formed. The material is supplied by means of a roller on one side of the machine and taken to another side (Fig. 1). The heated roller provides pressure and heat necessary for the new layer to be glued to the already produced prototype part. The working platform is lowered for the foil thickness, which is usually a thickness of 0,07 mm to 0,2 mm. [1, 2, 3] Figure 1 Slika 1. Laminated object manufacturing Proizvodnja laminiranih objekata [3] [3] After the layer (foil) has been deposited, the laser beam or knife cuts a part of the material into the form of the finished product. Usually CO laser of 25 W or 50 W power is used. The Company from Israel, in their laminated object manufacturing procedure use film on which a layer of glue is applied, which is then cut by a knife into adequate form. Then, an "anti-glue" layer is applied on certain places 2 Solido