Effect of Printing Parameters on the Tensile Properties of 3D-Printed Polylactic Acid (PLA) Based on Fused Deposition Modeling

Experimental and Numerical Research of 3D DLP-Printed Solid and Voronoi PLA Resin Specimens Under Tensile and Bending Loads

Additive manufacturing (AM), especially vat photopolymerization processes such as digital light processing (DLP), enables the production of highly detailed and complex geometries with precise material structure control. In this study, the influence of internal structure on the mechanical properties of PLA resin specimens produced using a DLP 3D printer is investigated. Two designs were analyzed: a fully solid structure and a shell with a Voronoi pattern. Tensile and bending tests revealed that solid specimens exhibited higher strength, while Voronoi structures performed better under bending loading despite lower load-bearing capacity due to their porosity ratio. The developed numerical model, analyzed through different numerical simulations using the Ansys 2025R01 Software package and validated by experimental results, showed a strong correlation between experimental and numerical results that confirmed the reliability of the developed models for preliminary design verification. These models hold significant potential for the design of mechanical and biomedical components, including orthopedic immobilization devices. Microscopic analysis revealed brittle fracture in solid specimens with striations and bubble-shaped irregularities, while Voronoi specimens exhibited fragmented surfaces with clean, brittle failure along structural voids. Based on the results obtained, this research demonstrates how additive manufacturing enables the optimization of mechanical properties and material efficiency through precise control of internal structures. In the future, validated numerical models can be used to check the preliminary designs of different components, which will significantly reduce development costs.

In-Plane Compressive Responses of Non-Homogenous Re-Entrant Honeycombs Fabricated by Fused Deposition Modelling

Auxetic structures, with re-entrant (inverted hexagonal or bow tie) unit cells, have received considerable interest due to their negative Poisson's ratio property that results in superior mechanical properties. This study proposes a simple method to create non-homogeneous re-entrant honeycombs by modifying the size of chevron crosslinks. The various structural designs were conceived by changing the geometrical dimensions of the crosslinks, namely the length (lcl) and the thickness (tcl), while maintaining the parameters of the re-entrant cell walls. The influence of the design parameters of chevron crosslinks on the mechanical behaviour of additively manufactured re-entrant honeycombs was investigated experimentally and numerically. The structures were fabricated using the Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) technique from polylactic acid (PLA) plastic. In-plane quasi-static compression tests were conducted to extract the elastic, plastic, and densification properties of the structures. Furthermore, a Finite Element (FE) model was developed via LS-DYNA R11.0 software, validated experimentally, and was then used to obtain a deeper insight into the deformation behaviour and auxetic performance of various designs. The obtained results revealed that the mechanical performance of re-entrant honeycombs can only be tuned by controlling the geometrical configuration of chevron crosslinks.

Effect of Infill Patterns with Machine Learning Techniques on the Tensile Properties of Polylactic Acid-Based Ceramic Materials with Fused Filament Fabrication

The field of additive manufacturing is quickly evolving from prototyping to manufacturing. Researchers are looking for the best parameters to boost mechanical strength as the demand for three-dimensional (3D) printers grows. The goal of this research is to find the best infill pattern settings for a polylactic acid (PLA)-based ceramic material with a universal testing machine; the impact of significant printing considerations was investigated. An X-ray diffractometer and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy with an attachment of scanning electron microscopy were used to investigate the crystalline structure and microstructure of PLA-based ceramic materials. Tensile testing of PLA-based ceramics using a dog bone specimen was printed with various patterns, as per ASTM D638-10. The cross pattern had a high strength of 16.944 MPa, while the tri-hexagon had a peak intensity of 16.108 MPa. Cross3D and cubic subdivisions have values of 4.802 and 4.803 MPa, respectively. Incorporating the machine learning concepts in this context is to predict the optimal infill pattern for robust strength and other mechanical properties of the PLA-based ceramic model. It helps to rally the precision and efficacy of the procedure by automating the job that would entail substantial physical effort. Implementing the machine learning technique to this work produced the output as cross and tri-hexagon are the efficient ones out of the 13 patterns compared.

Overview and Comparison of PLA Filaments Commercially Available in Europe for FFF Technology

This study presents a comprehensive techno-economic analysis of PLA materials for fused filament fabrication (FFF) from eight European manufacturers. The comparison involved rigorous experimental assessments of the mechanical properties, dimensional accuracy, and print quality using standardized methods and equipment such as tensile and CT testing. What makes this study unique is the consistent methodology applied, considering factors such as material color, printing temperature, printing orientation, filament diameter, and printer selection, to ensure meaningful and reliable results. Contrary to the common belief that a higher price implies better quality, the study revealed that the second cheapest PLA material achieved the best overall performance within the methodology employed. The study also confirmed certain observations, such as the influence of printing orientation and geometry on dimensional accuracy and mechanical properties, as well as the significant disparities between manufacturer-provided values and actual measured mechanical properties, highlighting the importance of experimental verification. Hence, the findings of this study hold value not only for the scientific community but also for hobbyist printers and beginners in the 3D printing realm seeking guidance in material selection for their projects. Furthermore, the methodology employed in this research can be adapted for evaluating a broad range of other 3D printing materials.

Explication of mechanism governing atmospheric degradation of 3D-printed poly(lactic acid) (PLA) with different in-fill pattern and varying in-fill density

With the popularity of 3D-printing technology, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) has become a very good option for layer by layer printing as it is easy to handle, environment friendly, has low costs and most importantly, it is highly adaptable to different materials including carbon, nylon and some other fibres. PLA is an aliphatic poly-ester that is 100% bio-based and is bio-degradable as well. It is one of the rare bio-polymers to compete with traditional polymers in terms of performance and environmental impact. However, PLA is sensitive to water and susceptible to degradation under natural conditions of ultra-violet rays (UV), humidity, fumes, etc. There are many reports on the bio-degradation and photo-degradation of PLA which deal with the accelerated weathering test. However, the accelerated weathering test instruments lack the ability to correlate the stabilities maintained by the test with the actual occurrences during natural exposure. Thus, an attempt has been made in the present work to expose the 3D-printed PLA samples to actual atmospheric conditions of Aurangabad city (M.S.) in India. The degradation of PLA after the exposure is studied and a mechanism is elucidated. Additionally, the tensile properties of the PLA samples are evaluated to correlate the extent of degradation and the material performance. It was found that though the performance of PLA deteriorates with the exposure time, the combination of in-fill pattern and volume plays an important role on the tensile properties and the extent of degradation. It is concluded herein that with natural exposure, the degradation of PLA occurs in two stages, supported by a side reaction. Thus, this study offers a new perspective towards the life of components in actual application by exposing PLA to the natural atmosphere and evaluating its strength and structure.

Effects of Post-UV-Curing on the Flexural and Absorptive Behaviour of FDM-3D-Printed Poly(lactic acid) Parts

In this study, the effects of the post-ultraviolet-curing process on the flexural, absorptive, and morphological properties of poly(lactic acid) specimens produced using a fused deposition modelling technique 3D printer were experimentally investigated. In this direction, 15, 30, 45, and 60 min post-UV-curing processes were applied to poly(lactic acid) three-point bending and absorption specimens produced at 190 and 200 °C. Three-point bending tests and morphological analyses were applied after the post-ultraviolet-curing process, and absorption tests were applied by immersing the post-ultraviolet-cured specimens in a distilled water bath for 1-, 3-day, and 1-, 2-, and 4-week exposure times. The changes in flexural strain properties for each experimental parameter were also simulated by the computer-aided finite element analysis and compared with the experimental results. It was observed that the post-ultraviolet-curing process increased the flexural strength of the poly(lactic acid) specimens produced at both 190 and 200 °C with the same increasing trend up to 30 min of exposure, and the most significant increase was determined in the specimens that were subjected to post-ultraviolet-curing for 30 min. Although the flexural strengths of the post-ultraviolet-cured specimens were higher than the non-cured specimens in all conditions, it was detected that they tended to decrease after 30 min.

Experimental Study on the Possibilities of FDM Direct Colour Printing and Its Implications on Mechanical Properties and Surface Quality of the Resulting Parts

The present paper aims to contribute to the methodology of 3D printing in-process colouring and study its implications and impact on the tensile strength and surface quality of the obtained parts. The proposed study was based on a Taguchi L27 DOE plan using standardised EN ISO 527-2 type 1B-shaped specimens, in which four factors on three levels were considered. The obtained results highlight the possibility of using the presented in-process colouring method. Different materials (PLA, PLA+, and PETG) with varying infill densities (15%, 30%, and 50%), colour distribution (33%, 66%, and 99%), and colour pigments (blue, green, and red) were studied and the results highlighted that the most influential parameter on the tensile strength of the parts was infill density, followed by the tested material, colour pigment, and colouring percentage; regarding surface roughness, the most influential parameter was infill density, followed by colouring percentage, colour pigment, and material. Moreover, the values resulting from the Taguchi DOE were compared to uncoloured parts, from which it could be concluded that the colouring of the parts had direct implications (negative for tensile strength and positive for surface roughness).

An Investigation on the Hardness of Polylactic Acid Parts Fabricated via Fused Deposition Modeling

This paper investigated the hardness property of the fused deposition modeling (FDM)-printed PLA samples via different process parameters of printing and raster angles. The hardness data were sampled from the flat and edge surfaces of the samples. In addition, the effect of hardness characters after the ultraviolet (UV) curing process was analyzed. Furthermore, this research found that the printing and raster angles significantly affected the hardness value of the PLA part, which slightly increased after the UV irradiation. Moreover, the results of this study will provide a reference for the field of FDM application.

Characterization and parametric optimization of additive manufacturing process for enhancing mechanical properties

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is a cutting-edge industrial production technique that enables the creation of lighter, stronger components and systems. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is a popular AM process for creating prototypes and functional components out of common engineering polymers. The mechanical characteristics of printed items are dramatically altered as a result of various process factors. As a result, it is critical to examine the impact of printing settings on the quality of the printed item. In terms of flexural strength, this study presents an experimental examination into the quality analysis of parameters on printed components utilizing FDM. By adjusting process factors such as layer height, raster width, raster angle, and orientation angle, the experiment was carried out utilizing Taguchi's L18 mixed orthogonal array approach. The UNITEK-94100 universal testing equipment was used to evaluate the flexural strength of Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) specimens that had been conditioned as per ASTM D790 standard. The impacts of parameters on experimental results were examined and optimized using the hybrid genetic algorithm with response surface methods, response surface approach, and Taguchi method. When the optimal solutions of each technique were studied, the response surface approach and Taguchi methods were determined to be less promising than the genetic algorithm method.

This study contains the following remarkable contents:

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Fused deposition modeling is a popular Additive manufacturing process for creating prototypes and functional components out of common engineering polymers.

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Fused deposition modeling was considered in this study.

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The genetic algorithm, response surface methodology, and Taguchi method were employed for multi-objective optimization of printing component characteristics.

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The considered operational parameters are layer height, raster width, raster angle, and orientation angle.

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Flexural strength is considered output response.

Embedded Optical Fibre with Fibre Bragg Grating Influence on Additive Manufactured Polymeric Structure Durability

Additive manufacturing (AM) polymers are applied in many branches of the industry due to the possibility of fast and accurate production of elements with various and complex shapes. Fibre Bragg grating sensors (FBG) are widely applied in structural health monitoring (SHM) systems. The main objective of this research is to perform analyses of the influence of embedded FBG sensors on AM polymer elements’ durability. Two polymers (M3 X and M3 Crystal) with different mechanical properties were analysed. The tests were performed on samples with FBG sensors embedded in (different alignment) and attached to the surfaces of the elements. Firstly, the samples were exposed to elevated or sub-zero temperatures under stable relative humidity levels. The strain in the samples was measured using fibre Bragg grating (FBG) sensors. The achieved results allow us to determine the relationships between strain and temperature for both materials and the differences in their mechanical response to the thermal loading. Then, the samples were subjected to a tensile test. A comparison of the tensile strength values was performed for the samples without and with embedded FBG sensors. The samples after the tensile tests were compared, showing differences in the mechanisms of failures related to the polymers and the thermal treatment influence on the material internal structure. Additionally, strain values measured by the FBG sensors were compared to the strain values achieved from the testing machine showing a good agreement (especially for M3 X) and indicating the differences in the materials’ mechanical properties. The achieved results allow us to conclude there is a lack of influence of embedded FBG sensors on the mechanical durability of AM polymers.

The Influence of the Process Parameters on the Mechanical Properties of PLA Specimens Produced by Fused Filament Fabrication-A Review

Polylactic acid (PLA) is produced from renewable materials, has a low melting temperature and has a low carbon footprint. These advantages have led to the extensive use of polylactic acid in additive manufacturing, particularly by fused filament fabrication (FFF). PLA parts that are 3D printed for industrial applications require stable mechanical properties and predictability regarding their dependence on the process parameters. Therefore, the development of the FFF process has been continuously accompanied by the development of software packages that generate CNC codes for the printers. A large number of user-controllable process parameters have been introduced in these software packages. In this respect, a lot of articles in the specialized literature address the issue of the influence of the process parameters on the mechanical properties of 3D-printed specimens. A systematic review of the research targeting the influence of process parameters on the mechanical properties of PLA specimens additively manufactured by fused filament fabrication was carried out by the authors of this paper. Six process parameters (layer thickness, printing speed, printing temperature, build plate temperature, build orientation and raster angle) were followed. The mechanical behavior was evaluated by tensile, compressive and bending properties.

Deposition of Biocompatible Polymers by 3D Printing (FDM) on Titanium Alloy

Nowadays, the replacement of a hip joint is a standard surgical procedure. However, researchers have continuingly been trying to upgrade endoprostheses and make them more similar to natural joints. The use of 3D printing could be helpful in such cases, since 3D-printed elements could mimic the natural lubrication mechanism of the meniscus. In this paper, we propose a method to deposit plastics directly on titanium alloy using 3D printing (FDM). This procedure allows one to obtain endoprostheses that are more similar to natural joints, easier to manufacture and have fewer components. During the research, biocompatible polymers suitable for 3D FDM printing were used, namely polylactide (PLA) and polyamide (PA). The research included tensile and shear tests of metal–polymer bonds, friction coefficient measurements and microscopic observations. The friction coefficient measurements revealed that only PA was promising for endoprostheses (the friction coefficient for PLA was too high). The strength tests and microscopic observations showed that PLA and PA deposition by 3D FDM printing directly on Ti6Al4V titanium alloy is possible; however, the achieved bonding strength and repeatability of the process were unsatisfactory. Nevertheless, the benefits arising from application of this method mean that it is worthwhile to continue working on this issue.

Aging of 3D Printed Polymers under Sterilizing UV-C Radiation

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, shortwave ultraviolet radiation with wavelengths between 200 nm and 280 nm (UV-C) is seeing increased usage in the sterilization of medical equipment, appliances, and spaces due to its antimicrobial effect. During the first weeks of the pandemic, healthcare facilities experienced a shortage of personal protective equipment. This led to hospital technicians, private companies, and even members of the public to resort to 3D printing in order to produce fast, on-demand resources. This paper analyzes the effect of accelerated aging through prolonged exposure to UV-C on mechanical properties of parts 3D printed by material extrusion (MEX) from common polymers, such as polylactic acid (PLA) and polyethylene terephthalate-glycol (PETG). Samples 3D printed from these materials went through a 24-h UV-C exposure aging cycle and were then tested versus a control group for changes in mechanical properties. Both tensile and compressive strength were determined, as well as changes in material creep properties. Prolonged UV-C exposure reduced the mechanical properties of PLA by 6-8% and of PETG by over 30%. These findings are of practical importance for those interested in producing functional MEX parts intended to be sterilized using UV-C. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed in order to assess any changes in material structure.

Accelerated Aging Effect on Mechanical Properties of Common 3D-Printing Polymers

In outdoor environments, the action of the Sun through its ultraviolet radiation has a degrading effect on most materials, with polymers being among those affected. In the past few years, 3D printing has seen an increased usage in fabricating parts for functional applications, including parts destined for outdoor use. This paper analyzes the effect of accelerated aging through prolonged exposure to UV-B on the mechanical properties of parts 3D printed from the commonly used polymers polylactic acid (PLA) and polyethylene terephthalate–glycol (PETG). Samples 3D printed from these materials went through a dry 24 h UV-B exposure aging treatment and were then tested against a control group for changes in mechanical properties. Both the tensile and compressive strengths were determined, as well as changes in material creep characteristics. After irradiation, PLA and PETG parts saw significant decreases in both tensile strength (PLA: −5.3%; PETG: −36%) and compression strength (PLA: −6.3%; PETG: −38.3%). Part stiffness did not change significantly following the UV-B exposure and creep behavior was closely connected to the decrease in mechanical properties. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) fractographic analysis was carried out to better understand the failure mechanism and material structural changes in tensile loaded, accelerated aged parts.

Effects of Printing Temperature and Filling Percentage on the Mechanical Behavior of Fused Deposition Molding Technology Components for 3D Printing

Additive manufacturing (AM) has the advantages of providing materials with lightweight microporous structures and customized features, and being environmentally safe. It is widely used in medical sciences, the aerospace industry, biological research, engineering applications, and other fields. Among the many additive manufacturing methods, fused deposition modeling (FDM) is relatively low-cost, wastes less raw material and has a lower technical threshold. This paper presents a study on 3D printing based on FDM by changing two printing parameters, namely the printing temperature and filling percentage. The produced polylactic acid (PLA) material was analyzed through tensile and Shore D hardness tests and the differences in mechanical properties before and after the UV curing process were analyzed. The results show that increasing the filling percentage or increasing the printing temperature can effectively improve the tensile Young's modulus, ultimate tensile strength, elongation, and Shore hardness of the material. The UV curing process could enhance the rigidity and hardness of the material significantly but reduced the strength and toughness of the material. These findings could benefit researchers studying FDM with the goal of achieving sustainable manufactured materials.

Characterisation and Modelling of PLA Filaments and Evolution with Time

The properties of polylactic acid (PLA) filaments have not yet been analysed in detail, and they are strongly affected by the extrusion process used in some additive manufacturing systems. Here we present the mechanical, thermal, physical, and fractographical properties of an extruded filament (not the bulk material or scaffolds), the basic building block of any PLA structure printed via material extrusion. This research aims to create a reference point for the modelisation of additively manufactured structures via extrusion processes, as the main building block is characterised in detail for a deep understanding. Furthermore, we investigated the natural ageing (up to one year), the effect of the printing (extruding) temperature (180 and 190 °C), and the effect of the crosshead speed during the tensile tests (10⁻¹ to 10² mm/min) to provide a deeper analysis of the material. The results showed that the material extruded at 190 °C performed better than the material extruded at 180 °C. However, after one hundred days of natural ageing, both materials behaved similarly. This was related to the flow-induced molecular orientation during the extrusion. The crosshead rate produced a logarithmic increase of the mechanical properties, consistent with the Eyring model. Additionally, the ageing produced significant changes in both the elastic modulus and the yield strength: from 2.4 GPa and 40 MPa, in one-day-aged samples, up to 4 GPa and 62 MPa once entirely aged. Finally, it was observed that the glass transition and the enthalpic relaxation increased with ageing, agreeing with the Kohlraushch–William–Watts model.