Investigating the influence of 3D printing parameters on the mechanical characteristics of FDM fabricated (PLA/Cu) composite material

Abstract

This investigation elucidates the impact of 3D printing parameters, encompassing the infill pattern variations (cross, grid, line, triangle, and tri-hexagon) and infill percentages (10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 90%), on the mechanical behavior of the PLA/Cu composite. A 3D model of the tensile specimen was designed in accordance with the ASTM D1708 standard and subsequently printed using carefully chosen printing parameters. Subsequent to fabrication, the samples were subjected to tensile testing. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) imaging, along with Energy-Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, was carried out for the fabricated specimens. Additionally, SEM analysis was performed on the fracture surface of the specimens. Tensile tests were performed on all printed samples, encompassing various patterns and infill percentages. The resulting tensile data were analyzed and discussed with a focus on parameters such as toughness, ultimate tensile strength (UTS), Young's modulus, and strain at UTS. The maximum UTS observed was 13.69 MPa, occurring in specimens with a line pattern at an infill density of 90%. In contrast, the minimum UTS recorded was 4.5 MPa for samples utilizing a triangle pattern at 50% infill density. The highest Young’s modulus measured, 275.6 MPa, was achieved with the line pattern at 90% infill density, whereas the lowest recorded Young’s modulus, 92 MPa, was associated with the triangle pattern at 10% infill density. Furthermore, the maximal strain at UTS (30%) was exhibited by the tri-hexagonal pattern at 50% infill density, while the minimal strain (10%) was observed in the line pattern at 70% infill density.