Accuracy of Polylactide Parts Made by 3D Printing

Abstract

AbstractOne of the 3D printing processes that use polylactide (PLA) wire to generate spatial parts in a large variety of shapes and dimensions is the fused deposition modeling. Due to the action of various factors, the final 3D printed parts obtained employing the fused deposition modeling may present some differences between the desired dimensions and real obtained dimensions. To investigate such an aspect, experimental research involving the use of an L9 array following the Taguchi method principles is designed and achieved. The heights and the diameters of tubular test samples made of polylactide are considered as process output parameters. As process input factors, wall thickness, printing speed, cooling conditions, and plate temperature are used. By mathematical processing of the experimental results, empirical power models type is determined. These models show that the printing speed and plate temperature have the most significant influence on the height and diameter of the 3D printing in the case of tubular parts made of PLA.