Effects of raster layup and printing speed on strength of 3D-printed structural components

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) printing, formally known as Additive Manufacturing (AM) has been significantly developed and widely used in recent years. Although this manufacturing process was utilized for prototyping, currently it has been used in rapid manufacturing of final products. Therefore, study behavior of 3D-printed parts is a crucial issue. In this context, current study presents the influence of two printing parameters on strength of 3D-printed components. In detail, Polylactic Acid (PLA) material was used in the fabrication of specimens by Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) process. In this study, two printing parameters (a) raster layup and (b) printing speed were changed in the fabrication of 3D-printed parts. A series of experimental tests were conducted to show effects of the mentioned printing parameters on stiffness and strength of the examined components. The obtained results showed stiffness and strength depend on raster angle. In detail, highest and lowest strength have been achieved for 0° and 90° raster angles, respectively. The documented results can be used for future research studies and next computational models.