Effect of the different printing variables on the modulus of elasticity for the PLA-CF in 3D printing

Abstract

Fused filament fabrication is one of the most widely used additive manufacturing methods due to its low cost, easy postprocessing and wide variety of thermoplastic materials that can be used in this technique. The application of this method for functional parts manufacturing requires knowing the mechanical properties of the material depending on the process parameters. This work determines the effect of layer thickness, filling angle, infill density, and position on the table on the mechanical properties under tension of modulus of elasticity and ultimate tensile strength of polylactic acid reinforced with carbon fiber fabricated by this method. Stress tests were performed using ISO 527-1 standards. The modulus of elasticity varies between 3138 MPa and 3095 MPa, while the maximum effort is between 28.62 MPa and 28.56 MPa. Finally, analysis of variance showed that infill density is the parameter that affects the most mechanical properties.