Finite Element Analysis of Warping and Mechanical Properties of 3D Parts Printed by Fused Deposition Modeling

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is one of the most commonly used 3D printing techniques. The printing parameter, called infill line directions (ILDs), not only affects the distortion, but also determines the mechanical properties of the printed specimens. To explore and predict the effects of ILDs on warping and mechanical properties, numerical simulation was used in this work to perform finite element analysis of FDM processes and mechanical properties of printed specimens. Through theoretical investigation and comprehensive analysis, the interrelationships between the printing parameter ILDs, warpage, and mechanical properties of the specimens were established and the optimal printing parameters can be obtained. Based on the simulation results, the following conclusions are drawn: In warping analysis, the bending and tensile specimens with ILD [−90, 90] have the highest tendency to warp the arch bridge. In the mechanical analysis, the tensile specimens with ILD [−90, 90] have the best mechanical properties followed by the specimens with ILD [−45, 45], while for the bending specimens, the best and the next best ILDs are [−90, 90] and [−60, 60], respectively. The simulation results matched well with the experimental results.