Numerical Simulations of Components Produced by Fused Deposition 3D Printing.

Martina Scapin,Lorenzo Peroni

doi:10.3390/ma14164625

Abstract

Three-dimensional printing technology using fused deposition modeling processes is becoming more and more widespread thanks to the improvements in the mechanical properties of materials with the addition of short fibers into the polymeric filaments. The final mechanical properties of the printed components depend, not only on the properties of the filament, but also on several printing parameters. The main purpose of this study was the development of a tool for designers to predict the real mechanical properties of printed components by performing finite element analyses. Two different materials (nylon reinforced with glass or carbon fibers) were investigated. The experimental identification of the elastic material model parameters was performed by testing printed fully filled dog bone specimens in two different directions. The obtained parameters were used in numerical analyses to predict the mechanical response of simple structures. Blocks of 20 mm × 20 mm × 160 mm were printed in four different percentages of a triangular infill pattern. Experimental and numerical four-point bending tests were performed, and the results were compared in terms of load versus curvature. The analysis of the results demonstrated that the purely elastic transversely isotropic material model is adequate for predicting behavior, at least before nonlinearities occur.

Highlights

With the advent of materials with increasingly high mechanical properties, threedimensional (3D) printing by using fused deposition modeling (FDM) technique is evolving from purely aesthetic and/or functional prototypes to structural components
The solution in which the filament produced by mixing short fibers with thermoplastic matrix could be used with any printers in the market with few modifications
The present study aimed to develop a technique that allows finite element modeling of structures produced by FDM by considering the real infill structure made during the printing phase

Summary

Introduction

With the advent of materials with increasingly high mechanical properties, threedimensional (3D) printing by using fused deposition modeling (FDM) technique is evolving from purely aesthetic and/or functional prototypes to structural components. As a matter of fact, nowadays, it is possible to create components with mechanical properties such that they can be used under high loads for single prototypes or small series. This has been possible thanks to the continuous development of polymer composites, in which short fibers or nanomaterials have been added as reinforcement into the polymeric filament [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]. Several research groups print continuous fiber materials with their own printing heads This technique requires printers much more expensive than the common ones. The solution in which the filament produced by mixing short fibers with thermoplastic matrix (extruded together during printing) could be used with any printers in the market with few modifications (e.g., a nozzle with high wear-resistance to abrasive materials)

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Conclusion