The paper is an evaluation of the surface roughness of various materials produced by water jet cutting (AWJ, abrasive water jet). A 3D laser profilometer developed at the Department of Design and Technical Systems Monitoring at our University was used in roughness measurement. To verify the values measured by the laser profilometer, another measurement was performed using a 2D contact roughness meter. The tests were done on aluminum and stainless-steel materials, respectively. Six samples were produced; three made of stainless steel and three made of aluminum. All samples were produced at a different feed rate of the cutting head. This was adapted to the different roughness required, per the manufacturer’s material data sheets. Varying rates of separation translated into different qualities of the surfaces under evaluation. The evaluated roughness parameters were Ra and Rz. Dependencies were plotted in the chart based on the values measured, which were then compared and evaluated.

This study investigates how layer deposition in printing 3D models made of polyetherimide (PEI) using the fused filament fabrication (FFF) technique affects resistance of these models to abrasive wear. Samples made by additive manufacturing with different setting of build orientation and path generation strategy of extruded fibers were used in the experiment. The experiments were conducted on a tribometer according to the ASTM G65-16 standard. The friction force, normal force, and temperature in the contact area during the tribometer operation were measured using a strain gauge sensor. The tribometer allowed us to perform the tribological experiments using a rubber-coated or a metal disc without a lubricant in the so-called “dry” operation. Following the ASTM G65-16 standard, a rubber-coated disc and Fe₃Al₂ (SiO₄)₃ garnet abrasive were used for the wear resistance tests. The analysis of experimental data showed correlations among orientation selection, the strategy of layer deposition by the FFF technique, and the surface life in terms of abrasive wear. The results of this research also showed the suitability of the chosen building orientation and deposition strategy for part production by additive manufacturing, depending on the required tribological properties, such as the coefficient of friction (yield path) and wear behavior. Based on the results of the study, it is concluded that continuity of wear and friction force depends on the path traveled under the model production orientation. The size of wear (material loss) ranged from 0.451–0.809%. It was shown that the weight loss of the sample under loading was greater, on average, with the chosen fiber orientation strategy in the Z direction than in the X direction.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) layer generation strategies on abrasive wear resistance and compare the material loss of PEI (polyetherimide) plastic specimens based on different specimen building strategies. The study also compares a newly proposed path generation strategy (parallel paths in layers with 0.25 mm displacement of alternate layers) with samples from a previous study where samples were printed without displacement of alternate layers, i.e., layers stacked perpendicularly to each other. The primary focus was on the weight loss due to abrasive wear before and after the test. The tests were conducted on a tribometer constructed according to ASTM G65/16 standards using dry sand. Two printing directions were examined: X (longitudinal) and Z (portrait) orientations. For X construction, three orientations of deposition path generation were utilized, resulting in three samples for each orientation (nine samples in total for X construction). The same approach was applied to Z construction, resulting in another nine samples. In total, 18 samples were produced and tested. The deposited infill path width was 0.5 mm, and the layer thickness used in printing was 0.254 mm. Garnet abrasive Fe₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃ was employed in this test. Analysis of the experimental data revealed a relationship between the construction method (X and Z orientations) and the variation in different orientations (1X–3X and 1Z–3Z). The research results can be categorized as overall and partial. The overall results indicate poorer wear resistance for 1X–3X and 1Z–3Z specimens, while the partial results illustrate the findings within each individual specimen.

The article deals with contact and non-contact evaluation of surface roughness created by water jet cutting technology (AWJ). Non-contact surface measurement was performed using an LPM laser profilometer. The values measured by the laser profilometry method were compared with the values measured by the contact method, the Mitutoyo SJ 400 roughness meter. Six samples were produced. Three in stainless steel and three in structural steel. In order to achieve a different surface topography, different feed rates of the cutting head were used on the samples, which was reflected in the quality of the resulting surface. The evaluated parameters were the average arithmetic deviation of the assessed profile and the largest height of the profile inequality.