Email this article Mechanical characterization of FDM-printed PLA: Role of infill geometry and build direction
DOI: https://doi.org/10.20528/cjsmec.2025.04.003
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This study examines the mechanical behavior of polylactic acid (PLA) components produced via Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), focusing on the effects of infill geometry and build orientation on tensile strength and deformation. Three infill patterns‒Cubic Subdivision, Gyroid, and Tri-Hexagon‒were combined with three build orientations (0°, 45°, and 90°) using an L9 Taguchi orthogonal array to systematically evaluate their influence and identify optimal configurations. ASTM D638 Type IV tensile specimens were fabricated and tested to assess performance. The results revealed that the Gyroid pattern at a 90° build orientation achieved the highest tensile strength (987.3 N), while the 45° build orientation exhibited the greatest ductility (3.39 mm), reflecting the anisotropic mechanical behavior inherent to FDM. The Tri-Hexagon pattern displayed brittle fracture characteristics, whereas the Cubic Subdivision offered intermediate performance. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) identified infill pattern as the most significant factor, accounting for 86.52% of the variation in mechanical properties, while build orientation contributed 6.29%. These findings emphasize that infill strategy plays a far more decisive role than build orientation in determining mechanical performance. Overall, the study provides practical insights into optimizing FDM-printed components by selecting appropriate infill patterns and build orientations to meet application-specific requirements, particularly where strength or energy absorption is critical. The results can serve as a reference for designers and engineers aiming to enhance the structural efficiency and reliability of 3D-printed PLA parts.
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