Session: ASME Undergraduate Student Design Expo

Paper Number: 166174

The Impact Strength of Parts Created Using Fused Deposition Modeling 

Additive manufacturing (AM) has been increasingly popular in today’s industries, and a popular method within the AM sector is Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) or commonly known as 3D printing. Compared to traditional subtractive manufacturing techniques, this layer-by-layer method allows for creation of parts with complex geometries while also having less material waste. Despite the many benefits offered through this process, issues with mechanical performance, optimization, and inability to predict failure of the manufactured parts are preventing FDM from being widely used, especially for mass production. The challenge in achieving consistent mechanical properties is due to the nature of FDM manufactured components, which is extensively influenced by the printing parameters. As a result, its applicability for high-volume-productions applications requiring consistent strength for every component manufactured is limited. Some factors that affect the mechanical behavior of FDM-printed parts include printing orientation, printing speed, bed and nozzle temperature, nozzle diameter, infill pattern, infill density, overlap ratio, and raster angle. To improve the mechanical proprieties of the printed components and optimize the FDM process, it is important to understand how different parameters relate to one another. Raster angle and infill density are two of the most important variables in influencing the mechanical strength of components that are subjected to impact loads. Infill density can be defined as the amount of material deposited within a part, which influences its internal structure, weight, and resistance to mechanical forces. Raster angle determines the orientation of printed layers and affects the distribution of stress throughout the component. This study aims to examine how the above two factors affect the impact of resistance of parts made of polylactic acid (PLA) and polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG). Specimens were produced with different infill densities of 25, 50, 75, and 100%, while the raster angle was varied across 0-90°, 30-60°, and 45-45°, resulting in a total of 12 unique arrangements.  The impact strength of each sample was tested to analyze the relationship between infill density, raster angle, and material performance under impact conditions. The preliminary results indicate that an increase in infill density correlates with higher impact resistance, as specimens with higher infill density demonstrate better fracture behavior. Furthermore, among specimens with the same infill density, those manufactured with a raster angle of 30-60° exhibited better impact resistance. This indicates that optimizing the raster angle and choosing the right infill density could improve the energy absorption and stress distribution for parts produced using FDM. This result provides important understanding regarding the mechanical enhancement of FDM components, which may enhance their usability in sectors that demand durable, impact resistant materials. Future studies will investigate the fabrication and optimization of powder-based feedstocks for metal and ceramic additive manufacturing, focusing on compounding techniques, particle size distribution, and material characterization.

Presenting Author: Eric Miller Kennesaw State University

Presenting Author Biography: I am pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mechatronics Engineering at Kennesaw State University. I am currently participating in an undergraduate research program at Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology where I am testing and simulating the effects of raster angle and infill density of specimens created using additive manufacturing. On this project, I am involved in verifying the tolerances of parts, testing for strength, and analyzing data. I am driven by an eagerness to research additive manufacturing and its implications in the field of robotics.

Authors:

Eric Miller Kennesaw State University
Mechack Nduwa Kennesaw State University
Edgar Bryant Kennesaw State University
Matthew Azaroff Kennesaw State University
Aaron Adams Kennesaw State University
David Stollberg Kennesaw State University
Daniel Martinez Kennesaw State University