Enhancing Mechanical Properties of Ultrasonically-Treated 3DPrinted ABS and PLA Parts: A Full Factorial Design Approach

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Department of Industrial Design, Faculty of Art, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

2 Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran

Abstract

This study explores the enhancement of mechanical properties in 3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) parts through ultrasonic treatment (UT). Tensile samples were fabricated using fused filament fabrication (FFF) with varying infill percentages (60% and 100%) and layer thicknesses (0.15 mm and 0.30 mm). Post-processing involved a high-power UT for 2 seconds, followed by tensile testing. The results demonstrated an average 10% increase in tensile strength for both ABS and PLA after UT, with the highest tensile strengths measured at approximately 41 MPa and 38 MPa, respectively. However, strain at fracture experienced a decline, except in the samples with an infill percentage of 100 and a number of layers of 10. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed dimensional changes and raster merging, more pronounced in 60% and 100% infill samples, respectively. The study employed a comprehensive full factorial design of experiments and finite element simulation for UT setup design. The interaction of 3D printing and UT parameters was investigated, with the infill percentage exhibiting the most substantial impact on the ultimate tensile strength. The results highlight the potential of UT to enhance mechanical properties, reduce defects, and improve the structural integrity of 3D-printed components.

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AUT Journal of Mechanical Engineering
Volume 7, Issue 3
September 2023
Pages 5-5

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