Characterization and Comparative Analysis of Mechanical Parameters of FDM- and SLA-Printed ABS Materials

Abstract

This research paper provides an in-depth examination of the mechanical characteristics of 3D-printed specimens made from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and resins akin to ABS, with a focus on two widely used 3D printing methodologies: fused deposition modeling (FDM) and stereolithography (SLA). The study investigates how variations in 3D printing technology and infill density impact mechanical parameters such as Young’s modulus, tensile strength, strain, nominal strain at break, maximum displacement, and maximum force at break. Tensile testing was conducted to assess these critical parameters. The results indicate distinct differences in mechanical performance between FDM- and SLA-printed specimens, with SLA consistently showing superior mechanical parameters, especially in terms of tensile strength, displacement, and Young’s modulus. SLA-printed specimens at 30% infill density exhibited a 38.11% increase in average tensile strength compared to FDM counterparts and at 100% infill density, a 39.57% increase was observed. The average maximum displacement for SLA specimens at 30% infill density showed a 14.96% increase and at 100% infill density, a 30.32% increase was observed compared to FDM specimens. Additionally, the average Young’s modulus for SLA specimens at 30% infill density increased by 17.89% and at 100% infill density, a 13.48% increase was observed, highlighting the superior mechanical properties of SLA-printed ABS-like resin materials. In tensile testing, FDM-printed specimens with 30% infill density showed an average strain of 2.16% and at 100% infill density, a slightly higher deformation of 3.1% was recorded. Conversely, SLA-printed specimens at 30% infill density exhibited a strain of 2.24% and at 100% infill density, a higher strain value of 4.15% was observed. The comparison suggests that increasing the infill density in FDM does not significantly improve deformation resistance, while in SLA, it leads to a substantial increase in deformation, raising questions about the practicality of higher infill densities. The testing data underscore the impact of infill density on the average nominal strain at break, revealing improved performance in FDM and significant strain endurance in SLA. The study concludes that SLA technology offers clear advantages, making it a promising option for producing ABS and ABS-like resin materials with enhanced mechanical properties.