Abstract:

3D printing technology is a method of fused deposition modeling (FDM) used in the aerospace industry, in light and complex structural modeling, manufacturing and prototyping of many medical tools. Polylactic acid (PLA) is used as a raw material in 3D printers due to its non-toxicity, biodegradability and easy manufacturability for industrial designs and medical applications. In this study, PLA samples were produced on a 3D printer at 70% constant filling ratio in four different filling types: line, triangle, hexagon and 3D infill. Tensile tests were performed on the samples in order to examine the effect of the filling type on the mechanical behavior. After the tests, mechanical properties of the samples such as modulus of elasticity, yield stress, maximum tensile stress and Poisson's ratio were determined. The results revealed that the filling type had significant influence on the mechanical properties of the FDM fabricated samples. It was shown that the triangle type of filling pattern in printing process yielded the highest strength to weight ratio of the fabricated sample and provided savings in raw material consumption.

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