Search Results (24)

Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) is an additive manufacturing technique that constructs parts by extruding material layer by layer. It offers advantages such as rapid prototyping, cost-effectiveness, and the ability to produce complex geometries. This study investigates the mechanical behavior of a composite filament composed of silicon carbide (SiC) ceramic particulates embedded in a polylactic acid (PLA) matrix, fabricated via FFF. Pure PLA specimens were also printed and tested to serve as a baseline. A Design of Experiments (DOE) methodology was employed to evaluate the influence of key printing parameters on mechanical properties, including Young’s modulus, yield strength, and ultimate strength. Microstructural analysis was performed on printed specimens using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For compression testing, the parameters studied were infill percentage, number of shells, and print orientation. For tensile testing, the parameters included layer height, number of shells, and infill angle. Results indicated that infill percentage had the most significant impact on compressive properties, while layer height was the dominant factor in tensile performance. These findings provide insights into optimizing FFF process parameters for ceramic-particulate-reinforced polymer composites. Full article

A biopolymer blend of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(butylene adipate-co-terephtalate) (PBAT) in a 60/40 weight ratio was investigated as a potential green alternative to thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) for material extrusion (MEX)-based additive manufacturing. A comparison of the two materials was conducted based on their tensile mechanical properties, evaluated using 3D-printed specimens fabricated with three distinct infill raster orientations (0°, ±45°, and 90°). The results showed that the tensile strengths of the two materials were relatively similar, ranging from 14.7 to 34.8 MPa, depending on the raster angle. However, the stiffness of PLA/PBAT was considerably higher than that of TPU, as reflected by Young’s modulus values an order of magnitude greater. While the elongation at break was comparable at 0° infill orientation (214% for PLA/PBAT and 265% for TPU), TPU exhibited better tolerance to increasing raster angles, with elongation only decreasing to 134% at 90°. In contrast, PLA/PBAT dropped drastically to 2%. Full article

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) filament was used to fabricate specimens through material extrusion (MEX)-based 3D printing technique with varying printing parameters. Nozzle diameters of 0.4 mm and 0.8 mm were used, while the printing infill orientation (also denoted as raster angle) was either parallel (0°) to the length of the specimens, perpendicular to it (90°), or at a 45° angle with alternating direction in each layer (±45°). Tensile tests were conducted to determine tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and elongation at break of the samples. The highest tensile strength was achieved using a 0.8 mm nozzle diameter and 0° raster angle, reaching 32.5 MPa, with a corresponding Young’s modulus of 145.8 MPa. Meanwhile, the sample with the lowest modulus (100.4 MPa) and tensile strength (17.8 MPa) was the one 3D-printed with a 0.4 mm nozzle and 90° raster angle. Full article

This study examines the influence of different printing orientations and infill settings on the strength and flexibility of components produced using resin-based 3D printing, particularly with masked stereolithography (MSLA). Using a common photopolymer resin and a widely available desktop MSLA printer, we produced and tested a series of samples with varying tilt angles and internal structures. To understand their mechanical behavior, we applied a custom bending test combined with high-precision deformation tracking through the GOM ARAMIS digital image correlation system. The results obtained clearly show that both the angle of printing and the density of the internal infill structure play a significant role in how much strain the printed parts can handle before breaking. Notably, a 75° orientation provided the best deformation performance, and infill rates between 60% and 90% offered a good balance between strength and material efficiency. These findings highlight how adjusting print settings can lead to stronger parts while also saving time and resources—an important consideration for practical applications in engineering, design, and manufacturing. Full article

Fused filament fabrication of thermoplastic composites has grown exponentially owing to its efficiency, thereby meeting numerous engineering demands. However, these materials have limitations owing to their structural vulnerability to elevated temperatures. To address this drawback, this study aims to investigate the tensile behavior of 3D-printed composites in a broad thermal domain from ambient temperature to the crystallization point. For this purpose, a commercial high-temperature-resilient polyamide carbon fiber was selected. To assess the optimal bead configuration and application range, the methodology includes tensile testing of five infill orientations across the four principal thermal domains of the polymers. The results highlight different bead arrangements under constant thermal conditions and demonstrate how temperature effects the tensile performance at similar raster angles, as further correlated with fracture mechanism analysis via scanning electron microscopy. The key findings indicate that raster orientation has a minor influence compared to temperature change. In accordance with the literature, a significantly decreased strength and an abrupt increase in plasticity is observed above the glass transition temperature. Nevertheless, the material retains one-third of its ambient tensile strength at 150 °C, demonstrating its potential for high-temperature applications. Full article

The objective of this research is to examine the dynamics of parent/child well interaction in unconventional plays, an issue that has gained prominence as high-quality inventory reduces and the number of infill wells escalates. To achieve this, the research will identify and analyze the factors influencing the interaction between parent/child wells and quantify the impacts of time, distance, and geological formation within the context of the DJ basin. The short-term estimate, considered as the next 12 months of cumulative oil production, is forecasted using decline curve analysis (DCA), and the long-term estimates come from the estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) of oil. The impact of the interaction on the parent well is determined as the difference between the recovery of the pre-frac hit and the post-frac hit. The child wells are compared to unaffected wells from the same unit. The average distance between parent and child wells is kept constant, and the time gap between the pre-existing and infill wells is statistically compared to observe the impact of time. The same procedure is followed for distance, orientation, and formation. The findings indicate that stimulation of child wells can lead to a depletion-induced stress shadow around the parent wells, potentially resulting in asymmetrical fracture growth. Consequently, the proximity of parent wells may contribute to a decrease in the performance of the child wells. On the contrary, parent wells with frac hits experienced varied outcomes, including improved production, reduced production, or no noticeable change at all. When the distance between parent and child well decreases, the negative impact on child wells increases. Increasing the time gap between pre-existing wells and infill wells shows an adverse impact on child wells. The impact on child wells was not observed when the parent well had been producing for less than 5 months. An interesting pattern emerged when analyzing the orientation of wells; child wells drilled at a perpendicular angle to their parent wells did not exhibit changes in performance. Within the geological context, the Niobrara Formation was found to have a more substantial negative impact on well interactions than the Codell Formation. In conclusion, time and distance play a crucial role in parent/child well interaction. Despite the existence of studies on parent/child well interactions within the literature, a comprehensive and detailed analysis specifically targeting the DJ Basin—particularly focusing on the intricacies of well interactions within the Niobrara and Codell Formations—has not yet been undertaken. Full article

Additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing technology creates a tangible object by adding successive layers of materials. Nowadays, 3D printing is used for developing both metal and non-metal products. In the advancement of 3D printing technology, material specimen design, modification, and testing become very simple, especially for non-metal materials, such as hyperelastic, thermoplastic, or rubber-like materials. However, proper material modeling and validation are required for the analysis of these types of materials. In this study, 3D printed poly lactic acid (PLA+) material behavior is analyzed numerically for validation in the counterpart of experimental analysis to evaluate their behavior in both cases. The specimen was designed in SolidWorks by following ASTM D638 dimension standards with proper infill densities and raster angle or infill orientation angle. These infill layer densities and angles of orientation play an important role in the mechanical behavior of the specimen. This paper aims to present a numerical validation of five infill densities (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%) for a ±45-degree infill angle orientation by incorporating a nonlinear hyperelastic model. Results indicate that infill densities affect the mechanical behavior of PLA+ material. The result also suggested that neo-Hookean and Mooney–Rivlin are the best-fitted hyperelastic material models for these five separate linear infill densities. However, neo-Hookean is easier to analyze, as it has only one parameter and a new equation is developed in this study for determining the parameter for different infill densities. Full article

Predicting the mechanical properties of Additive Manufacturing (AM) parts is a complex task due to the intricate nature of the manufacturing processes. This study presents a novel application of the Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) to predict the mechanical properties of PLA specimens produced using Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). The ANFIS model integrates the strengths of neural networks and fuzzy logic to establish a mapping between the inputs and the output mechanical properties, specifically maximum stress, strain, and Young’s modulus. Experimental data were collected from three-point bending tests conducted on FFF samples fabricated from PLA material with different manufacturing parameters, such as infill pattern, infill, layer thickness, printing speed, extruder and bed temperature, printing orientation (along each axis and twist angle), and raster angle. These data were used to train, check, and validate the ANFIS model. The results reveal that the proposed predictive model can effectively predict the mechanical properties of FFF-printed PLA samples, demonstrating its potential for broader applications across various AM technologies and materials, ultimately enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the AM fabrication process. Full article

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is a well-established manufacturing method for producing both prototype and functional components. This study investigates the mechanical properties of FDM components by material and process-related influencing variables. Tensile tests were conducted on seven different materials in their raw filament form, two of which were fiber-reinforced, to analyze their material-related influence. To cover a wide range from standard to advanced materials relevant for load-carrying components as well as their respective variations, polylactic acid (PLA), 30% wood-fiber-reinforced PLA, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), a blend of ABS and PC, Nylon, and 30% glass-fiber-reinforced Nylon were selected. The process-related influencing variables were studied using the following process parameters: layer thickness, nozzle diameter, build orientation, nozzle temperature, infill density and pattern, and raster angle. The first test series revealed that the addition of wood fibers significantly worsened the mechanical behavior of PLA due to the lack of fiber bonding to the matrix and significant pore formation. The polymer blend of ABS and PC only showed improvements in stiffness. Significant strength and stiffness improvements were found by embedding glass fibers in Nylon, despite partially poor fiber–matrix bonding. The materials with the best properties were selected for the process parameter analysis. When examining the impact of layer thickness on part strength, a clear correlation was evident. Smaller layer thicknesses resulted in higher strength, while stiffness did not appear to be affected. Conversely, larger nozzle diameters and lower nozzle temperatures only positively impacted stiffness, with little effect on strength. The part orientation did alter the fracture behavior of the test specimens. Although an on-edge orientation resulted in higher stiffness, it failed at lower stresses. Higher infill densities and infill patterns aligned with the load direction led to the best mechanical results. The raster angle had a significant impact on the behavior of the printed bodies. An alternating raster angle resulted in lower strengths and stiffness compared to a unidirectional raster angle. However, it also caused significant stretching due to the rotation of the beads. Full article

This paper presents the results of experimental investigation of the mechanical characteristics of 3D-printed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and its modifications reinforced with different types of short-fiber fillers: carbon, glass, and basalt. Elastic modulus, tensile and bending strength, as well as fracture toughness were determined in series of mechanical tests for samples produced with different manufacturing parameters, such as nozzle diameter and infill angle. It was found that the use of ABS filament reinforced with the short fibers can significantly improve the mechanical properties of 3D-printed devices when the infill angle is oriented along the vector of the applied load. In such a case, the elastic modulus and tensile strength can be increased by more than 1.7 and 1.5 times, respectively. The use of a larger nozzle diameter led to the growth of tensile strength by an average of 12.5%. When the macroscopic load is applied along the normal to the printed layers, the addition of short fibers does not give much gain in mechanical properties compared to pure ABS, which was confirmed by both standard tensile and fracture toughness tests. The surface of the fractured samples was examined using scanning electronic microscopy, which allowed us to make conclusions on the type of defects as well as on the level of adhesion between the polymeric matrix and different types of short fibers. Full article

In rock blasting for mining production, stress waves play a major role in rock fracturing, along with explosive gases. Better energy distribution improves fragmentation and safety, lowers production costs, increases productivity, and controls ore losses and dilution. Blast outcomes vary significantly depending on the choice of the explosive and the properties of the rock mass encountered. This study analyzes the effects of rock mass and explosive properties on blast outcomes via numerical simulation using data from the case study, and later validates the simulation results from the field blast fragmentation. The findings suggest that, for a given set of rock properties, the choice of explosive has a major influence on the resulting fragmentation. Strong explosives (high VOD and detonation pressure) favor large fracture extents in hard rocks, while weaker explosives offer a better distribution of explosive energy and fractures. The presence of rock structures such as rock contacts and joints influences the propagation of stress waves and fractures depending on the structures’ material properties, the intensity and orientations, and the direction and strength of the stress wave. When the stress wave encounters a contact depending on its direction, it is enhanced when traveling from soft to hard and attenuates in the opposite direction. The ability of the stress wave to cause fracturing on the opposite side of the contact depends on the intensity of the transmitted wave and the strength of the rock. Transmitted wave intensity is a function of the strength of the incident wave and the impedance difference between the interface materials. The presence of joints in the rock mass affects the propagation of the stress wave, mainly depending on the infill material properties and the angle at which the stress wave approaches the joint. Less compressible, higher stiffness joints transmit more energy. More energy is also transmitted in the areas where the stress wave hits the joint perpendicularly. Joints parallel to the free face offer additional fracturing on the opposite side of the joint. Other parameters, such as the joint width, continuity, fracture frequency, and the distance from the charge, enhance the effects. To achieve effective fragmentation, the blast design should mitigate the effect of variability in the rock mass via explosive selection and pattern design to ensure adequate energy distribution within the limits of geometric design. Full article

Most of the experiments on additively manufactured polymers are on a small scale, and it remains uncertain whether findings at a small scale can be extrapolated to their larger-scale counterparts. This uncertainty mainly arises due to the limited studies on the effect of size on three-dimensional (3D)-printed polymers, among many others. Given this background, this preliminary study aims to investigate the effect of geometric dimensions (i.e., the size effect) on the mechanical performance of four representative types of 3D-printable polymers, namely, (1) polycarbonate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC/ABS), (2) acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate (ASA), (3) polylactic acid (PLA) as a bio biodegradable and sustainable material, and (4) polyamide (PA, nylon), based on compression, modulus of elasticity, tension, and flexural tests. Eight different sizes were investigated for compression, modulus of elasticity, and tension tests, while seven different sizes were tested under flexure as per relevant test standards. A material extrusion technique was used to 3D-print the polymers in a flat build orientation and at an infill orientation angle of 45°. The results have shown that the mechanical properties of the 3D-printed polymers were size-dependent, regardless of the material type, with the most significant being flexure, followed by tension, compression, and modulus of elasticity; however, no clear general trend could be identified in this regard. All the materials except for nylon showed a brittle failure pattern, characterized by interfacial failure rather than filament failure. PLA outperformed the other three polymer specimens in terms of strength, irrespective of the type of loading. Full article

Both energy efficiency and robustness are popular demands for 3D-printed components nowadays. These opposing factors require compromises. This study examines the effects of seven general control variables on the energy demands and the compressive responses of polyamide (PA6) material extrusion (MEX) 3D printed samples. Nozzle Temperature, Layer Thickness, Orientation Angle, Raster Deposition Angle, Printing Speed, Bed Temperature, and Infill Density were studied. An L27 orthogonal array was compiled with five replicas. A total of 135 trials were conducted, following the ASTM D695-02a specifications. The stopwatch method was used to assess the construction time and energy usage. The compressive strength, toughness, and elasticity modulus were experimentally determined. The Taguchi technique ranks each control parameter’s impact on each response measure. The control parameter that had the greatest impact on both energy use and printing time was layer thickness. Additionally, the infill density had the greatest influence on the compressive strength. Quadratic regression model equations were formed for each of the response measures. The ideal compromise between mechanical strength and energy efficiency is now reported, with merit related to technological and economic benefits. Full article

Additive Manufacturing (AM), commonly known as “3D printing”, is rapidly integrated into many various fields, from everyday commercial to high-end medical and aerospace. Its production flexibility in small-scale and complex shapes is a significant advantage over conventional methods. However, inferior physical properties of parts manufactured by AM in general, and by material extrusion in particular, compared to traditional fabrication methods, inhibit its full assimilation. Specifically, the mechanical properties of printed parts are not high enough and, more importantly, not consistent enough. Optimization of the many various printing parameters is therefore required. This work reviews the influence of material selection, printing parameters such as path (e.g., layer thickness and raster angle), build (e.g., infill and building orientation) and temperature parameters (e.g., nozzle or platform temperature) on mechanical properties. Moreover, this work focuses on the interactions between the printing parameters, their mechanisms, and the statistical methods required to identify such interactions. Choosing the right parameters can increase mechanical properties by up to 60% (raster angle and orientation build), or render other parameters insignificant (material selection), while specific settings of certain parameters can completely inverse the influence trend of other parameters. Finally, trends for future research are suggested. Full article

Sustainability and energy efficiency of additive manufacturing (AM) is an up-to-date industrial request. Likewise, the claim for 3D-printed parts with capable mechanical strength remains robust, especially for polymers that are considered high-performance ones, such as polycarbonates in material extrusion (MEX). This paper explains the impact of seven generic control parameters (raster deposition angle; orientation angle; layer thickness; infill density; nozzle temperature; bed temperature; and printing speed) on the energy consumption and compressive performance of PC in MEX AM. To meet this goal, a three-level L27 Taguchi experimental design was exploited. Each experimental run included five replicas (compressive specimens after the ASTM D695-02a standard), summating 135 experiments. The printing time and the power consumption were stopwatch-derived, whereas the compressive metrics were obtained by compressive tests. Layer thickness and infill density were ranked the first and second most significant factors in energy consumption. Additionally, the infill density and the orientation angle were proved as the most influential factors on the compressive strength. Lastly, quadratic regression model (QRM) equations for each response metric versus the seven control parameters were determined and evaluated. Hereby, the optimum compromise between energy efficiency and compressive strength is attainable, a tool holding excessive scientific and engineering worth. Full article