Design and Optimization of 4D Printed Carbon Fiber Reinforced Poly Lactic Acid Parts Using Fused Deposition Modeling for Shape Memory Applications: A Taguchi Approach

Abstract

The manufacturing industry has witnessed substantial interest in the advancement of 4D printing technology in recent years. This technology has enabled the production of complex structures with enhanced functionality and adaptability. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) has become a preferred technique for 4D printing due to its ease of use, affordability, and versatile nature. To achieve efficient and effective 4D printing, the process parameters must be optimised to ensure the desired shape recovery behaviour of the printed parts. The main objective of this study is to optimize the process parameters for the production of 4D printed components using FDM technology and Carbon Fiber reinforced Poly Lactic Acid (CF/PLA) Shape Memory Polymer Composites (SMPCs). This study examines the shape recovery properties of the printed components by modifying the process parameters, including Infill Density (ID), Geometrical Thickness (GT), and Bending Angle (BA), through the implementation of Design of Experiments (DOE) L9 Orthogonal Array (OA). Utilizing Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to determine the significant factors and their optimum levels, the process parameters are statistically analysed. The results indicate that ID and GT are the statistically significant parameters, and the optimum levels for parameters includes 20% ID, 1.5mm GT, and 300 BA led to faster shape recovery. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the Taguchi approach in the design and optimization of the process parameters for 4D printed parts using FDM.