Flexural strength of fused filament fabricated (FFF) PLA parts on an open-source 3D printer

Abstract

Fused filament fabrication (FFF) has been widely used to develop prototypes as well as functional parts owing to its capability for creating parts with complex geometries in a short time without the specific requirement of tooling. The mechanical properties of parts produced by FFF exhibit 70%–80% of the mechanical properties of parts produced by injection molding. The mechanical properties of FFF-produced parts are primarily dependent on the selection of various process variables. The mechanical properties of the part can be enhanced through the proper selection of process variables. In the present experimental investigation, the effects of the process variables, viz. raster angle, layer height, and raster width on the flexural properties of FFF-printed polylactic acid (PLA) is studied. The result shows that flexural strength is primarily influenced by layer height followed by raster angle. The sample printed with 100-µm layer height and 0° raster angle exhibits a higher tensile strength. Further, the microscopic examination of the deformed specimen is performed to understand the mode of failure. Specimens printed at different raster angles show different modes of failure.