Flexural Strength Evolution of 3D-Printed PLA Structures: An Experimental Investigation

The flexural strength of polylactic acid (PLA) components produced using fused deposition modeling 3D printing is investigated in this work. The impact of important printing parameters on the flexural strength and weight of PLA specimens was investigated using a thorough factorial experimental design. These parameters included layer height (0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, and 0.3 mm), infill density (50%, 75%, and 100%), and infill pattern (line, cubic, tri-hexagonal). A three-point bending test was performed on the specimens in compliance with ASTM C78/C78M-22 guidelines. Following data collection, statistical techniques like ANOVA and signal-to-noise ratio analysis were used to examine the results. The findings demonstrated that flexural strength was greatly increased by lower layer heights and larger infill densities, although 100% infill density and 0.1 mm layer height showed higher flexural strength. Additionally, the infill pattern affected the performance, as complex geometry (tri-hexagonal) had lower flexural strength than the line pattern. The results offer crucial information on choosing process parameters for the fabrication of PLA structures for higher load applications.