ANP–MOORA-Based Approach for Selection of FDM 3D Printer Filament

Abstract

Nowadays, the intermediate of digital fabrication technology is also referred to as 3D printing or assembling production, the continuous addition of all these elements to create physical objects from geometric representations. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printers work by adding one layer after another through FDM filaments. Some commonly used FDM filaments are polylactic acid (PLA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polycarbonate (PC), nylon, acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), and polyetherimide (PEI). Also, FDM filament allows the adjustment of several process parameters which are strength, temperature resistance, visual quality, impact strength, wear and chemical resistance, flexible, etc. Thus, confusion arises for the selection of the best filament to create any desired object. So, to get rid of this confusion need to know some immediate decision-making techniques. Analytical network process (ANP) and multi-objective optimization by ratio analysis (MOORA) are one of the most important immediate decision-making techniques. These two methods provide a basis for decision-making processes, where there are many criteria, along with a number of options. In this study, the selected five criteria are density (g/cm3), printing temperature (0C), tensile strength (MPa), elongation at break (%), and flexural strength (MPa). Also, the selected six alternatives are polylactic acid (PLA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), nylon, acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), and polycarbonate (PC) for the best filament. Design/Procedure/Method: Multi-objective optimization by ratio analysis (MOORA) and analytical network process (ANP) have been used to fulfill the purpose of this work. In this method, ANP is used because a variety of criteria and alternatives are used to select a good FDM 3D printer filament that follows the MOORA method. Originality/Value: This work is done to select a good FDM 3D printer filament. The systematic way of choosing a good FDM 3D printer filament helps the manufacturer to implement printing quality.