Metaheuristic Optimization of Compressive Strength and Microstructures for Fused Deposition Modelling Using PLA Material

As a result of the rapidly advancing additive manufacturing technologies, parallel growth of interest in additively fabricated complex parts is observed. Fabricating parts using additive technology opens opportunities to produce parts with complex geometries and avoids manufacturing constraints. This provides full design freedom that can lead to design optimization involving several design or performance constraints. Nowadays, there are different optimization tools used in optimization of parts and materials with different capabilities. In this paper, metaheuristic optimization of fused deposition modelling process parameters was conducted to improve the compressive strength and microstructures of polylactic acid (PLA) materials. The genetic algorithm optimization tool was implemented, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for the analysis of mechanical properties. In the compression strength, the ANOVA results indicated that the platform temperature is the most significant parameter for compression strength for fabrication of the material followed by print speed, number of shells, infill density, extrusion temperature and layer thickness. It has been also observed that the microstructure is highly influenced by layer thickness followed by print speed, number of shells, extrusion temperature, platform temperature and infill density.