Analysis of mesostructural characteristics and their influence on tensile strength of ABS specimens manufactured through fused deposition modeling

The mechanical properties of polymeric parts produced by fused deposition modeling (FDM) are intricately linked to the mesostructure of the printed components. The attainment of a distinct mesostructure is mainly dependent on the processing parameters employed during the fabrication process. However, the interrelationship between these process parameters, the resulting mesostructure, and its corresponding effect on mechanical properties remains an area that has not yet been thoroughly investigated. In this research, a comprehensive experimental analysis was performed to investigate the interrelationship between process parameters, such as layer thickness, raster angle, and build orientation, with the mesostructural characteristics and their corresponding effects on the tensile strength of FDM-printed ABS specimens. This study utilized Taguchi experimental design and analysis of variance (ANOVA) along with SEM morphology to systematically explore and understand the influence of these parameters. The results demonstrate that the smallest layer thickness of 0.1778 mm yields a highly dense mesostructure with a void density of 3.3343%, accompanied by the highest amount of diffusion between layers of 69.29% from the initiation of the bonding phase to the completion of diffusion. Moreover, when combined with a 0/90 degrees raster angle and flat (0 degrees) build orientation, this specific layer thickness achieves the highest tensile strength of 34.077 MPa.