Printer Settings Research Articles

Mechanical behavior analysis of additively manufactured parts using the Taguchi method and artificial neural networks

Purpose Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene is an important material in 3D printing due to its strength, durability, heat resistance and cost-effectiveness. These properties make it suitable for various applications, from functional prototypes to end-use products. This study aims to model and predict the mechanical properties of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene parts produced using the fused deposition modeling process. Design/methodology/approach The experiment was carefully designed to determine the optimal print parameters, including layer thickness, nozzle temperature and infill density. Tensile tests were performed on all printed samples following industry standards to gauge the mechanical properties such as elastic modulus, ultimate tensile strength, yield strength and breakpoint. Taguchi optimization and variable analysis were used to explore the relationship between mechanical properties and print parameters. Furthermore, an artificial neural network (ANN) regression model was implemented to predict mechanical properties based on varying print conditions. Findings The results demonstrated that layer thickness has the most significant influence on mechanical properties when compared to other print conditions. The optimization approaches indicated a clear relationship between the selected print parameters and the material’s mechanical response. For acrylonitrile butadiene styrene material, the optimal print settings were determined to be a 0.25 mm layer thickness, a 270 °C nozzle temperature and a 30 % infill density. Moreover, the ANN model notably excelled in predicting the yield strength of the material with greater accuracy than other mechanical properties. Originality/value Comparing the accuracy and capabilities of the Taguchi and ANN models in analyzing mechanical properties, it was found that both models closely matched the experimental data. However, the ANN model showed superior accuracy in predicting tensile outcomes. In conclusion, while the ANN model offers higher predictive accuracy for tensile results, both Taguchi and ANN methods are effective in modeling the mechanical properties of 3D-printed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene materials.

Electrospun microfibers to enhance nutrient supply in bioinks and 3D-bioprinted tissue precursors

3D-bioprinting is a promising technique to mimic the complex anatomy of natural tissues, as it comprises a precise and gentle way of placing bioinks containing cells and hydrogel. Although hydrogels expose an ideal growth environment due to their extracellular matrix (ECM)-like properties, high water amount and tissue like microstructure, they lack mechanical strength and possess a diffusion limit of a couple of hundred micrometers. Integration of electrospun fibers could hereby benefit in multiple ways, for instance by controlling mechanical characteristics, cell orientation, direction of diffusion and anisotropic swelling behavior. The aim of this study was to create an advanced ECM-biomimicking scaffold material for tissue engineering, which offers enhanced diffusion properties. PCL bulk membranes were successfully electrospun and fragmented using a cryo cutting technique. Subsequently, these short single fibers (<400µm in length and ∼5-10µm in diameter) were embedded in an agarose-based hydrogel after hydrophilization of the short single fibers by O2plasma treatment. Fiber-filled bioinks exhibit significantly improved biomolecule diffusion (>500µm), swelling properties (20%-60% of control), and higher mechanical strength, while its viscosity (5-30 mPas*s) and gelation kinetics (28 °C) remained almost unaffected. The diffusion tests indicate a high level of size selectivity, which can be utilized for targeted biomolecule transport in the future. Finally, applying 3D-bioprinting technology (drop-on-demand vs. microextrusion) a print setting dependent post-dispensing orientation of the fibers could be induced, which ultimately paves way for the fabrication of metamaterials with anisotropic material properties. As expected, the fiber-filled bioink was found to be non-cytotoxic in cell culture trials using HUVECs and HepG2 (>80% viability). In summary, microfiber integration holds great promise for 3D-bioprinting of tissue percursors with advanced metamaterial properties and thus offers high applicability in various fields of research, such asin-vitrotissue models, tissue engineered implants or cultivated meat.

Effects of Building Orientation and Raster Angle on the Mechanical Properties of Selected Materials Used in FFF Techniques.

Advances in the development of additive manufacturing materials (AM) and the low availability of studies on the impact response of AM specimens are the main reasons for this paper. Therefore, the influence of building orientation (vertical and horizontal) and the angle of the raster (15°/-75°, 30°/-60°, 45°/-45°, and 0°/90°) on the tensile and impact strength of AM specimens was investigated. The polylactic acid (PLA)-PolyMax, Mediflex and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) filaments were chosen to provide a comprehensive characterization of AM materials with versatile mechanical properties. The experimental results of this study show that the tensile strength and toughness of PolyMax PLA specimens are comparable to ABS specimens, while Mediflex samples are characterized by their higher toughness, but lower impact force needed to break the samples. The Mediflex Charpy fracture surfaces exhibit a ductile character compared to those of brittle ABS and PLA. Furthermore, fracture surface morphology shows the allocation of voids, which helps us to understand differences in mechanical properties, and allows one to properly interpret the results of the geometrical accuracy of AM specimens with various printing settings.

Impact of 3D Printing Settings on Polylactic Acid Filament Mechanical Behaviors Based on the Taguchi Method

Impact of 3D Printing Settings on Polylactic Acid Filament Mechanical Behaviors Based on the Taguchi Method

Precision in dentistry: how PLA 3D printing settings influence model accuracy.

Advancements in computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM), such as intraoral scanners, digital treatment planning, and 3D printers, offer digital alternatives to conventional orthodontics. For transforming digital data into atraditional model, precise 3D printing technologies are necessary. With numerous settings available on each 3D printer, selecting the most precise one is challenging. Therefore, the impact of layer height, printing temperature, print speed, and infill density on the accuracy of dental models was analyzed in this study. A3D file of aright upper central incisor was designed and printed 275 times in total with different settings for temperature, layer height, print speed, and infill density by using polylactic acid (PLA) filament on an industrial 3D printer. After scanning the models, root mean square error was calculated for analysis of precision. For each group, R2 value was calculated and linear regression as well as an ANOVA was performed for the factors influencing accuracy. Printing temperature as well as layer height had statistically significant impacts on printing 3D tooth models (p < 0.05). R2 values of 0.43 for printing temperature as well as of 0.11 for layer height were detected. The infill density as well as the print speed had no statistically significant impacts on accuracy (p > 0.05). This study confirms that choosing the correct printing temperature and layer height for printing dental models with PLA is important for obtaining good accuracy, whereas print speed and infill density have less of an impact.

Application of a 3D-Printed Part with Conformal Cooling in High-Pressure Die Casting Mould and Evaluation of Stress State During Exploitation.

The article addresses stress formation in the structural 3D-printed elements of a high-pressure die casting die mould used for production of aluminum castings. The 3D-printed elements with conformal cooling are manufactured of 18Ni300 powder. Initial numerical calculations were performed on a test die mould made of standard steel X40CrMoV5 to determine temperature distribution and stress state, providing a baseline for comparing 3D-printed 18Ni300 parts. A database for 18Ni300 material was developed, including optimal heat treatment parameters: aged at 560 °C for 8 h. The resulting tensile strength of approximately ~1600 MPa, yield strength 1550 MPa, and elongation 6-7%, with properties temperature-dependent from 20 °C to 600 °C. Results show that conformal cooling increases stress gradients, highlighting the demands on fatigue strength at elevated temperatures. The study revealed that the heat treatment significantly influences the final properties, with tensile strengths of 1400-2000 MPa and elongation from 1 to 8%. While the heat treatment has a greater impact on the mechanical properties than the printing parameters, optimizing the printing settings remains crucial for ensuring density and quality in the die moulds under cyclic loads.

Investigation of Stereolithography Additively Manufactured Components for Deviations in Dimensional and Geometrical Features.

The rapid investment casting (RIC) process requires a 3D-printed pattern to create a ceramic mold. Stereolithography (SLA) is a commonly used 3D printing method for pattern creation due to its ability to print complex shapes with smooth surfaces. The printing parameters can significantly affect the dimensional accuracy of the pattern. This study examines how different build orientations (0°, 45°, and 90°) affect the dimensional accuracy of parts produced using SLA. The specimens were printed using castable wax resin. They were measured to investigate the dimensional deviations using 3D scanning technology to understand the correlation between orientation and accuracy better. It was found that the orientation of the print affects the overall accuracy significantly. Parts printed at a 45° angle generally showed the smallest deviations from their nominal dimensions, except for certain features. For instance, cylindrical features showed deviations improving from -7.28% at 0° to -4.81% at 90°, while spherical features had deviations decreasing from -5.01% at 0° to -2.46% at 90°. Simple features, such as holes, exhibited minimal deviation across orientations, with the smallest error observed at 45° (1.98%). These results demonstrate different features and build orientations can affect the accuracy of the printed part differently. To ensure better accuracy, parts printed in different build orientations will require varying amounts of compensation during the design stage. By managing build orientations and controlling the inherent limitations of SLA, users can improve the print's accuracy and meet quality standards more effectively. Research results can help industries optimize print settings and reduce dimensional errors.

Multiphysics Simulation of Continuous Liquid Interface Production (CLIP) 3D Printing Technology

Abstract This study explores the advancements of 3D printing through Continuous Liquid Interface Production (CLIP), which has achieved a remarkable 100-fold increase in print speed over conventional stereolithography. CLIP’s rapid printing is enabled by an oxygen inhibition layer above the resin-vat window, initiating photopolymerization above the deadzone for faster resin flow. Despite CLIP’s notable speed advantage, it struggles with artifacts arising from non-optimal print cofigurations. Our research addresses this challenge by developing a novel multiphysics simulation tool. In order to evaluate the effects of various parameters, this study introduces a 2D-CLIP multiphysics simulation tool integrating optical and chemical models. The simulation tool employs a MATLAB-PDE solver that incorporates multiphysics equations to forecast deadzone thickness and cured dimensions at various print settings. This approach allows for a comprehensive understanding of the CLIP process and its variables. The simulation tool effectively predicts key parameters, aiding in the fine-tuning of the printing process. It significantly reduces experimental costs and time while enhancing the precision of CLIP 3D printing. The tool’s predictions are instrumental in optimizing print parameters, thereby mitigating the prevalent artifacts in printed objects. This research contributes a pioneering simulation tool for CLIP 3D printing, addressing the critical gap in optimizing print configurations. Its innovative approach in integrating multiphysics models within a simulation framework offers a valuable asset in advancing the capabilities of high-speed 3D printing technologies.

3D Printing Conductive Filament for Fuel Cell Bipolar Plates

Fuel cell bipolar plates are commonly manufactured from graphite or stainless steel. The current production method requires machining intricate channels into these materials which is a costly and time-consuming process. Utilizing a material other than graphite or stainless steel, while still adhering to the standards set by the U.S. Department of Energy for bipolar plate electrical conductivity, could greatly reduce production costs and time. 3D printing bipolar plates could have benefits that include weight reductions as well as ease of testing different flow field designs. However, very few 3D printing filaments are electrically conductive. In this work, conductive samples were printed with Electrifi filament (Multi3D, resistivity: 0.006 Ωcm). This filament is a proprietary metal-polymer composite that has been used to print electronic components such as resistors, capacitors, and inductors [1].Using Electrifi filament, samples were printed at various conditions to determine optimal print settings for geometric accuracy and maximum electrical conductivity. Printing parameters such as nozzle temperature, flow rate, infill pattern, and infill percentage were varied to affect sample density and conductivity. Several combinations of print conditions led to conductivities that exceeded the US DOE technical target for bipolar plate conductivity. SEM imaging was also performed to better understand the structure of the Electrifi filament. In addition, an Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy scan provided details on the elemental composition of printed samples. F. Flowers, C. Reyes, S. Ye, M. J. Kim and B. J. Wiley, "3D printing electronic components and circuits with conductive thermoplastic filament," Additive Manufacturing, vol. 18, pp. 156-163, 2017.

Investigation on the wear characteristics of 3D printed graphene-reinforced PLA composites

In recent years, the growing need for multifunctional materials with customized features has fueled the development of innovative materials and production processes. Graphene, recognized for its superior mechanical, thermal, and electrical characteristics, has shown considerable promise in a variety of applications. This research focuses on the manufacture and characterisation of graphene-reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) composites using material extrusion. The composites were created by melting PLA pellets with graphene nanoplatelets and then 3D printing them together. Pin-on-disc tests were used to analyze wear behavior, and the graphene-reinforced PLA demonstrated a 55% increase in wear resistance when compared to clean PLA. This increase is linked to the creation of protective layers during frictional sliding, as well as graphene’s lubricating characteristics. The microstructure was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and statistical analysis revealed the influence of printing settings and load conditions on wear performance and surface morphology. Overall, the work illustrates the promise of graphene-reinforced PLA composites for applications requiring high wear resistance, as seen by considerable quantitative gains over unmodified PLA.

An alloy-agnostic machine learning framework for process mapping in laser powder bed fusion

PurposeThis study aims to introduce an image-based method to determine the processing window for a given alloy system using laser powder bed fusion equipment based on achieving the desired melting mode across multiple materials for powder-free specimens. The method uses a convolutional neural network trained to classify different track morphologies across different alloy systems to select appropriate printing settings. This method is intended for the development of new alloy systems, where the powder feedstock may be unavailable, or prohibitively expensive to manufacture.Design/methodology/approachA convolutional neural network is designed from scratch to identify the 4 key melting modes that are observed in laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing across different alloy systems. To increase the prediction accuracy and generalisation accuracy across different materials, the network is trained using a novel hybrid data set that combines fully unsupervised learning with semi-supervised learning.FindingsThis study demonstrates that our convolutional network with a novel hybrid training approach can be generalised across different materials, and k-fold validation shows that the model retains good accuracy with changing training conditions. The model can predict the processing maps for the different alloys with an accuracy of up to 96% in some cases. It is also shown that powder-free single-track experiments are a useful indicator for predicting the final print quality of a component.Originality/valueThe “invariant information clustering” (IIC) approach is applied to process optimisation for additive manufacturing, and a novel hybrid data set construction approach that accounts for uncertainty in the ground truth data, enables the trained convolutional model to perform across a range of different materials and most importantly, generalise to materials outside of the training data set. Compared to the traditional cross-sectioning approach, this method considers the whole length of the single track when determining the melting mode.

Fused Filament Fabrication 3D Printing Parameters Affecting the Translucency of Polylactic Acid Parts.

The effect of 3D printing parameters by Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) on the translucency of polylactic acid (PLA) parts was investigated. Six different printing parameters were studied: object orientation, layer height, nozzle temperature, fan speed, extrusion multiplier, and printing speed. The commercially available Plasty Mladeč PLA filament and the Original Prusa MK4 3D printer were used for the experiments. The translucency of the printed samples of 50 × 25 × 1 mm dimensions was measured using a luxmeter in an integrating sphere. A total of 32 sample combinations were created. Each sample was printed ten times. The results show that all investigated parameters significantly affect the optical properties of PLA parts. The best measured translucency values were obtained when printing in portrait mode, with a layer height of 0.30 mm, nozzle temperature of 240 °C, fan speed of 100%, 0.75 set extrusion multiplier, and a speed of 40 mm/s. ANOVA was used to statistically evaluate the effect of each parameter on translucency, and statistically significant differences were found between different combinations of parameters (p < 0.05). Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis provided detailed images of the surface structure of the printed samples, allowing for a better discussion of the microscopic properties affecting the translucency. The best print setting has an efficiency of 88% compared to the default setting of 65%. The ability of visible light to pass through the print (translucency) improved by 23%.

Bending beams: Effects of infill pattern and density on stiffness of 3D printed beams

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is an additive manufacturing process that builds parts layer by layer, selectively depositing melted material in a predetermined path. Two of the principal 3D-print settings that can be modified with FDM are infill density and infill pattern. This project examined the impact of both of these settings on the stiffness of beams printed using FDM. To obtain stiffness values, an accelerometer connected to an oscilloscope was first attached to beams before flicking them in order to determine their resonant frequencies. These data points, along with length, thickness, and density measurements, were then used to calculate each beam's stiffness using Euler–Bernoulli beam theory. An analysis of the results showed that both infill density and infill pattern had a significant impact on the stiffness of beams, suggesting that these print settings are important factors to keep in mind when designing parts to be 3D-printed using FDM.

An investigation of prototype development using 3D printer: A digital fabrication approach

Abstract Additive manufacturing (AM) is a widely used technique in several industries for rapid prototyping and layer-by-layer fabrication of a new product. The influence of printer settings and print quality is essential for the performance of products in a variety of applications. The popularity of manufacturing using 3D printing is growing rapidly. In view of this, an investigation is carried out on the 3D printing techniques, their applications, and prototype materials for complex mechanical parts such as an impeller. The present study thoroughly considers the fundamental techniques in 3D printing technology, materials, and recent advancements applied to the current application and accepted trends. The 3D printing technology is advantageous as it accepts a wide range of designs, allows customized manufacturing, minimizes waste, builds intricate structures, and creates prototypes rapidly. Layer height of 0.2 mm, speed of 90 mm/s, and infill density of 80% were determined as the optimal print settings considering time, material cost, and properties. Considering the flexural qualities, the optimized values of layer height, print speed, and infill density were 0.15 mm, 70 mm/s, and 50%, respectively. It was observed that the uniform elongation (UEL) and ultimate stress (UTS) of a component increase as the layer thickness increases for the considered layers.

3D Printing Conductive Filament for Fuel Cell Bipolar Plates

Fuel cell bipolar plates are commonly manufactured from metals and graphite. Utilizing a polymer material, while still adhering to the standards set by the U.S. Department of Energy for bipolar plate electrical conductivity, could greatly reduce production costs and time. 3D printing bipolar plates could have benefits that include weight reductions as well as ease of testing different flowfield designs. However, very few 3D printing filaments are electrically conductive. In this work, samples were printed with Electrifi conductive filament, a copper-polyester composite material. Samples were printed at various conditions to determine optimal print settings for dimensional accuracy and electrical conductivity. Printing parameters such as nozzle temperature, flow rate, and infill pattern were varied to affect sample density and conductivity. Several combinations of print conditions led to conductivities nearing the US DOE technical target for bipolar plate conductivity. SEM imaging was performed to better understand the structure of the Electrifi filament, and an Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy scan provided details on its elemental composition.

Multiscale Computational Modeling of 3D Printed Continuous Fiber-Reinforced Composites

The printing parameters used during the printing procedure have a significant effect on the mechanical characteristics of 3D printed continuous fiber reinforced composites (3DP-CFRPCs). However, conducting experimental assessments of the material characteristics of 3DP-CFRPCs may require more effort and incur more costs. Computational material modeling may be used as a viable alternative to investigate the behavior of 3DP-CFRPCs under various printing conditions. The current work used material modeling approaches to examine the impact of different printing settings on the elastic characteristics of 3DP-CFRPCs. The inherent flexibility of beads is primarily established by homogenizing the pores within the matrix via the use of the Mori-Tanaka process. Subsequently, the elastic modulus is calculated by using finite element modeling on Representative Volume Element (RVE), which takes into account the microstructure and other printing attributes. An inconsistency was seen in the variation of projected elastic properties across models distinguished by various microstructures, with a more pronounced differentiation observed between intricate and simpler microstructures. Computational modeling has enhanced our understanding of the elastic properties of 3DP-CFRPCs under various printing conditions. Moreover, it has been shown that alterations in printing parameters have diverse impacts on the pliable characteristics of 3DP-CFRPCs. The impact of layer thickness on the mechanical characteristics of 3DP-CFRPCs was determined to be more substantial compared to the effect of printing temperature. The application of offset layup printing techniques enhanced the elastic properties of 3DP-CFRPCs, with the degree of improvement varying based on the orientation. As the level of porosity increased, the influence of pores situated between beads on the overall stiffness of 3DP-CFRPCs gradually diminished, while the impact of matrix pores on the overall stiffness of 3DP-CFRPCs gradually intensified.

BNPLA: borated plastic for 3D-printing of thermal and cold neutron shielding

3D printing technologies such as fused filament fabrication (FFF) offer great opportunities to enable the fabrication of complex geometries without access to a workshop or knowledge of machining. By adding filler materials to the raw filaments used for FFF, the material properties of the plastic can be adapted. With the addition of neutron absorbing particles, filaments can be created that enable 3D printing of neutron shielding with arbitrary geometry. Two materials for FFF are presented with different mixing ratios of hexagonal Boron nitride (h-BN) and Polylactic acid (PLA). BNPLA25 with 25 %wt h-BN and BNPLA35 with 35 %wt h-BN are compared to the commercially available Addbor N25 material. To qualify the applicability of BNPLA25 and BNPLA35 as shielding material for neutron instrumentation, such as neutron imaging, we investigated the overall neutron attenuation, the influence of non-optimized print settings, as well as characterized the incoherent neutron scattering and the microstructure using neutron imaging, and time-of-flight small-angle-neutron-scattering. Finally, the tensile strength of the material was determined in standardized tensile tests. The measured neutron attenuation shows excellent agreement with analytical calculations, thus validating both the material composition and the calculation method. Approximately 6 mm (8 mm) BNPLA35 are needed for 1×10-3\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$1\ imes 10^{-3}$$\\end{document} transmission of a cold (thermal) neutron beam. Lack of extrusion due to suboptimal print settings can be compensated by increased thickness, clearly visible defects can be mitigated by 11–18% increase in thickness. Incoherent scattering is shown to be strongly reduced compared to pure PLA. The tensile strength of the material is shown not to be impacted by the h-BN filler. The good agreement between the measured attenuation and calculation, combined with the adoption of safety factor enables the quick and easy development as well as the performance estimation of shielding components. BNPLA is uniquely suited for 3D printing neutron shielding because of the combination of non-abrasive h-BN particles in standard PLA, which results in a filament that can be printed with almost any off-the-shelf printer and virtually no prior experience in 3D printing. This mitigates the slightly lower attenuation observed as compared to filaments containing B4C\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${\\hbox {B}_{4}}\\hbox {C}$$\\end{document}, which is highly abrasive and requires extensive additive manufacturing experience.

Investigation into Influence of Tensile Properties When Varying Print Settings of 3D-Printed Polylactic Acid Parts: Numerical Model and Validation.

Material Extrusion (MEX), particularly Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), is the most widespread among the additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. To further its development, understanding the influence of the various printing parameters on the manufactured parts is required. The effects of varying the infill percentage, the number of layers of the top and bottom surfaces and the number of layers of the side surfaces on the tensile properties of the printed parts were studied by using a full factorial design. The tensile test results allowed a direct comparison of each of the three parameters' influence on the tensile properties of the parts to be conducted. Yield strength appears to be the most affected by the number of layers of the top and bottom surfaces, which has twice the impact of the number of layers of the side surfaces, which is already twice as impactful as the infill percentage. Young's modulus is the most influenced by the number of layers of the top and bottom surfaces, then by the infill percentage and finally by the number of layers of the side surfaces. Two mathematical models were considered in this work. The first one was a polynomial model, which allowed the yield strength to be calculated as a function of the three parameters mentioned previously. The coefficients of this model were obtained by performing tensile tests on nine groups of printed samples, each with different printing parameters. Each group consisted of three samples. A second simplified model was devised, replacing the numbers of layers on the side and top/bottom surfaces with their fractions of the cross-section surface area of the specimen. This model provided results with a better correlation with the experimental results. Further tests inside and outside the parameter ranges initially chosen for the model were performed. The experimental results aligned well with the predictions and made it possible to assess the accuracy of the model, indicating the latter to be sufficient and reliable. The accuracy of the model was assessed through the R2 value obtained, R2 = 92.47%. This was improved to R2 = 97.32% when discarding material infill as an input parameter.

Enhancing the functionality of sugar palm (Arenga Pinnata) fibre reinforced polylactic acid composite filament of fused deposition modelling through Taguchi method

Constructing functional components using Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) is challenging due to various processing factors that influence the quality of the final product. The main reason for this is the many processing parameters involved, which have the ability to impact the quality of the produced components. The aim of this research is to use the Taguchi technique in attempt to improve the printing variables for attaining the best possible mechanical and physical qualities in the three-dimensional (3D) printed product made from sugar palm fibre reinforced polylactic acid (SPF/PLA). The layer thickness, infill density, and printing speed are characteristics that directly affect the mechanical qualities, surface roughness, and dimensional accuracy of FDM products. The research applied Taguchi’s L9 array, consisting of 9 experimental trials, with each trial including 5 duplicated specimens. Thus, a total of 45 specimens were generated by altering various processing settings. The most effective printing settings for FDM using SPF and PLA were found to be a layer thickness of 0.1 mm, infill density set to 100%, and a printing speed of 25 mm s−1. The microscopic images reveal a significant rise in the number of voids as the layer thickness is raised. Additionally, the printing speed has a substantial impact on the nead structure, making it more resilient. Overall, the results will provide a significant collection of data in the area of 3D printing, improving the utilization of indigenous plant fibres in additive manufacturing technology.

Comparing Degradation Mechanisms, Quality, and Energy Usage for Pellet- and Filament-Based Material Extrusion for Short Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Composites with Recycled Polymer Matrices

Short carbon fiber (sCF)-based polymer composite parts enable one to increase in the material property range for additive manufacturing (AM) applications. However, room for technical and material improvement is still possible, bearing in mind that the commonly used fused filament fabrication (FFF) technique is prone to an extra filament-making step. Here, we compare FFF with direct pellet additive manufacturing (DPAM) for sCF-based composites, taking into account degradation reactions, print quality, and energy usage. On top of that, the matrix is based on industrial waste polymers (recycled polycarbonate blended with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene polymer and recycled propylene), additives are explored, and the printing settings are optimized, benefiting from molecular, rheological, thermal, morphological, and material property analyses. Despite this, DPAM resulted in a rougher surface finish compared to FFF and can be seen as a faster printing technique that reduces energy consumption and molecular degradation. The findings help formulate guidelines for the successful DPAM and FFF of sCF-based composite materials in view of better market appreciation.