Surface Friction of Rapidly Prototyped Wheels from 3D-Printed Thermoplastic Elastomers: An Experimental Study

Rapid prototyping of mechanical parts for engineering purposes has become more common due to improvements in additive manufacturing methods. Inexpensive, consumer grade 3D-printers have become commonplace in industry and learning institutions alike. This paper investigates the use of soft thermoplastics and their friction properties, extending the use of 3D-printing to testing properties of fully functional prototypes. The experiments presented in this paper show that 3D-prints with soft materials can indeed be used as fully functional driving wheels on a smooth surface, such as an aluminum rail, as well as in other applications where high friction is desirable for functionality.