ANALYSIS OF CRACK PROPAGATION IN 3D-PRINTED ABS UNDER DYNAMIC MECHANICAL LOADS AT HIGH TEMPERATURE

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is an essential industrial method in the modern era. This technique uses various materials; however, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is the most used material in Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) technology because it offers good mechanical properties, which are ideal for constructing polymeric structures for industrial applications. The effects of 3D printing parameters such as building orientation, layer thickness, nozzle size and environment temperature on the mechanical properties have been discussed in many studies; however, when these studies were critically reviewed, it was found that all previous research calculated the FCG rate using a Paris law which uses SIF under a static load, which is highly inaccurate. Furthermore, there is no current research that calculates the values of the Paris power law constants C and m for FDM ABS printed with different printing parameters Therefore, this study used bending vibration tests to study the printing parameters influence on FCG rate at real SIF and found the Paris power law constant C and m for different 3D printing parameters. It was found that, as building orientation degree increase from 0° to 90° the FCG rate increases. However, as layer thickness and nozzle size increase, the FCG rate decreases as a result of the decrease in micro air voids. Also, an empirical model was built to calculate the C and m values at each parameter.