OPTIMIZING MATERIAL PROPERTIES FOR 3D PRINTING: A STUDY ON COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF MIXED CLEAR AND TOUGH RESINS

Most published review papers primarily discuss 3D printing techniques, the printing of pure materials and incorporating nano particles, but never looked at the possibility of mixing different resins with different mechanical properties to develop hybrid material. The main objective of the experiment was to explore the potential of mixing different resin materials and creating a hybrid material. The goal was to optimize the properties of the resin material by combining different components. By experimenting with different ratios and compositions, the aim was to achieve a hybrid material with enhanced characteristics, such as improved strength, durability, or other desirable properties. The experiment aimed to determine the feasibility of creating such hybrid materials and to optimize their properties for various applications in 3D printing or other fields. Clear and tough resins provided by Anycubic were used for this experiment. The Clear is a multipurpose resin for 3D printing with good rigidity, low shrinkage, high success rates, and excellent detail performance. The Tough resin can withstand both compression and bending and is suitable for sections requiring durability. The two materials were mixed at different volume ratios to create three different samples. The samples were printed using the PRUSA SL1 speed printer and washed in isopropyl alcohol. Samples were tested before and after post-processing to identify their compressive strength using the ASTM D695-15 standards. The results showed that mixed resin is stronger than regular resin and increasing the amount of clear resin in the mixture increases strength. Overall, this experiment provides valuable insights into the properties of mixed Clear and Tough resins, and their potential uses in 3D printing applications where both resistance to creep and toughness are required. Along with pointing out the possibility of mixing materials it also points out that the hybrid material can withstand more compression load when compared to the standard materials which increases the use cases and potential of implementing in different industries and labs.