Numerical and Experimental Study of PLA Honeycomb-Shaped Lattice Fabricated by Fused Deposition Modeling

The capabilities of fused deposition modeling (FDM) allow manufacturing of specific functional structures containing lattice, holding the potential to create light-weight parts with improved mechanical performance. However, the process induces excessive cumulation of residual stresses, and eventual defects and distortions might represent an obstacle for their successful applications. This study aims to enhance the applicability and overall quality of FDM-manufactured parts with dense–lattice–dense structure by examining the relationships between key processing parameters, specifically layer thickness and extrusion temperature, and the resulting distortions, residual stresses, and tensile properties. The approach uses in the present investigation combined experiments, numerical modeling and statistical analysis to provide an overview on the process parameters and printed material interaction. Results reveal that precise dimensional control is generally achieved at lower extrusion temperatures, with minimal dependence on layer thickness. Furthermore, the incorporation of honeycomb lattice structures significantly increases ductility, up to nearly 600%, while reducing tensile strength by ≈50%. The level of sensitivity of mechanical properties on imposed processing conditions offers the flexibility of tailoring them according to the application's requirements. Eventually, the increased ductility offers potential benefits for large number of applications, including orthotics, impact-resistant components, soft robotics, and snap-fit assemblies.