Performance assessment of fused deposition modeling process

Abstract

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is an additive manufacturing method that offers numerous benefits in terms of simplicity, ease of operation, material strength, flexibility, etc. However, its fabricated parts have frequently been affected by poor dimensional and geometrical accuracy. It is, therefore, extremely crucial to examine the numerous causes of errors in FDM so that appropriate steps can be taken to address its limitations. In this work, an attempt has been made to quantify the various sources of errors that contribute to the poor accuracy of FDM fabricated parts. For this reason, a standard part (also referred to as benchmark part), which is comprised of various shapes, features, and geometries, was used for the evaluation of the FDM process. The predominant goal of this research was to characterize the FDM process in terms of dimensions and geometrical accuracy. Although this research was specific to a particular machine, it provided useful information regarding the procedure that can be employed whenever a benchmark part will be utilized. This work can also act as a foundation to further improvement to the FDM machine design and expansion of its applications.