Investigating the influence of infill percentage on the mechanical properties of fused deposition modelled ABS parts

Abstract

ABSTRACT3D printing is a manufacturing process that is usually used for modeling and prototyping. One of the most popular printing techniques is fused deposition modeling (FDM), which is based on adding melted material layer by layer. Although FDM has several advantages with respect to other manufacturing materials, there are several problems that have to be faced. When setting the printing options, several parameters have to be taken into account, such as temperature, speed, infill percentage, etc. Selecting these parameters is often a great challenge for the user, and is generally solved by experience without considering the influence of variations in the parameters on the mechanical properties of the printed parts.This article analyzes the influence of the infill percentage on the mechanical properties of ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) printed parts. In order to characterize this influence, test specimens for tensile strength and Charpy tests were printed with a Makerbot Replicator 2X printer, in which the infill percentage was varied but the rest of the printing parameters were kept constant. Three different results were analyzed for these tests: tensile strength, impact resistance, and effective printing time. Results showed that the maximum tensile force (1438 N) and tensile stress (34,57 MPa) were obtained by using 100 % infill. The maximum impact resistance, 1,55 J, was also obtained with 100 % infill. In terms of effective printing time, results showed that printing with an infill range between 50 % and 98 % is not recommended, since the effective printing time is higher than with a 100 % infill and the tensile strength and impact resistance are smaller. In addition, in comparing the results of our analysis with results from other authors, it can be concluded that the printer type and plastic roll significantly influence the mechanical properties of ABS parts.Keywords: 3D printing, mechanical properties, FDM process, ABS, makerbot replicator 2X. RESUMENLa impresión 3D es un proceso de manufactura que se basa en la fabricación de prototipos, partes y piezas funcionales. Existen diferentes métodos, en los cuales se utilizan distintos materiales en diversos formatos. Uno de los métodos más utilizados es el modelado por deposición fundida (FDM). A pesar de las ventajas que posee con respecto a otros procesos de fabricación, la impresión 3D no está libre de dificultades o problemas. Al momento de configurar una impresión, se deben ingresar parámetros para cada una de las variables presentes en el proceso, como por ejemplo: temperatura, velocidad, porcentaje de relleno, etc. La elección de dichos parámetros muchas veces resulta ser un problema para el operador, y generalmente se realiza en función de su experiencia, sin considerar la influencia que estos parámetros tendrán en las propiedades mecánicas del elemento terminado. Este trabajo analiza la influencia del porcentaje de relleno en la resistencia mecánica de piezas fabricadas en ABS (Acrilonitrilo Butadieno Estireno). Para ello, se imprimieron pr...

Optimization of mechanical properties of glass‐spheres‐filled polypropylene composites for extrusion‐based additive manufacturing

“…Moreover, voids can also act as stress concentration points, thus deteriorating the impact strength. A study conducted by Álvarez et al also confirmed this trend for printed ABS specimens. However, under certain conditions porous structures can absorb more energy than parts with 100% infill density, resulting in higher impact energies.…”

“…One of these key parameters that influences especially additively manufactured parts due to their layered composition, is the impact strength . To date, only the impact strength of unfilled 3D‐printed parts made of ABS , PLA and polycarbonate have been investigated. Recently, Wang et al investigated the Izod impact strengths of unfilled PP parts produced by FFF.…”

“…It is known, though, that high defect and gap concentrations negatively affect the overall mechanical properties , in particular the inter‐ and intra‐layer strengths of 3D‐printed parts . In order to achieve both an augmentation of inter‐ and intra‐layer strengths and decent impact energies, it is recommended to avoid air gaps between adjacent strands and try to impact modify the filled compounds.…”

Optimization of the 3D Printing Parameters for Tensile Properties of Specimens Produced by Fused Filament Fabrication of 17-4PH Stainless Steel

“…It has to be pointed out that, in this research, only the polymer component (45% vol.) was melted during the FFF process; therefore, the effect of extrusion temperature on tensile properties was not as strong as in case of FFF of pure polymer material [46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53].…”

“…Several studies are available where the tensile properties of polymeric parts produced by MEAM were investigated. For example, Bayraktar et al [46], Alafaghani et al [47], Chacon et al [48], and Spoerk et al [49] investigated PLA (Polylactic Acid) parts; Ahn et al [50], Reddy et al [51], and Álvarez et al [52] investigated ABS parts; finally, Spoerk et al [53] investigated filled polypropylene. However, information of the optimization of the printing conditions to improve the tensile properties of feedstocks to obtain high-quality sintered metallic parts shaped by FFF is not available in the open literature.…”