TY - JOUR
TI - Impact of processing parameters on tensile strength, inprocess crystallinity and mesostructure in FDM-fabricated PLA specimens
AU - Ognjan Luzanin, Dejan Movrin, Vassilis Stathopoulos, Pavlos Pandis, Tanja Radusin, Vera Guduric
JO - Rapid Prototyping Journal
PY - 2019
VL - 25
TODO - 8
SP - 1398-1410
PB - Emerald Publishing Limited
SN - 1355-2546
TODO - null
TODO - Fused deposition modelling (FDM), Definitive screening design (DSD), Tensile strength, Mesostructure, Crystallinity
TODO - Purpose – This study aims to investigate the impact of layer thickness, extrusion temperature, extrusion speed and build plate temperature on the
tensile strength, crystallinity achieved during fabrication (herein, in-process crystallinity) and mesostructure of Poly(lactic acid) specimens. Both
tensile strength and in-process crystallinity were optimized and verified as the function of processing parameters, and their relationship was
thoroughly examined.
Design/methodology/approach – The four key technological parameters were systematically varied as factors on three levels, using the
statistically designed experiment. Surface response methodology was used to optimize tensile strength and crystallinity for the given ranges of input
factors. Optimized factor settings were used in a set of confirmation runs, where the result of optimization was experimentally confirmed. Material
characterization was performed using differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction analysis, while the effect of processing parameters on
mesostructure was examined by scanning electron microscopy.
Findings – Layer thickness and its quadratic effect are dominant contributors to tensile strength. Significant interaction between layer thickness and
extrusion speed implies that these parameters should always be varied simultaneously within designed experiment to obtain adequate process
model. As regards, the in-process crystallinity, extrusion speed is part of two significant interactions with plate temperature and layer thickness,
respectively. Quality of mesostructure is vital contributor to tensile strength during FDM process, while the in-process crystallinity exhibited no
impact, remaining below the 20 per cent margin regardless of process parameter settings.
Originality/value – According to available literature, there have been no previously published investigations which studied the effect of process
parameters on tensile strength, mesostructure and in-process crystallinity through systematic variation of four critical processing parameters.
ER -