On the Relationship Between 3D Printing Parameters, Porosity, and Mechanical Behavior in a Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer

The study aims to analyze the porosity of Carbon Fiber Reinforced polymer samples produced by 3D printing, with a focus on the impact of printer settings. Specific printing parameters including printing speed, printing temperature and printing orientation are selected. The porosity is calculated as function of measured and theoretical masses and composite density. It is reported that porosity increases by the increase of printing speed. However, it is proved that by the increase of both printing temperature and orientation, porosity turn down to a low value. Experimental tensile tests are performed to study the effect of the obtained porosity on Young’s modulus, so it is revealed that when porosity decreases, Young’s modulus decreases too, only with the increase of printing temperature and printing orientation. Nevertheless, it is demonstrated that when porosity increases, Young’s modulus decreases only when the printing speed increases. The study identified the optimal printing temperature for minimal porosity as 260 ℃, with the highest and weakest Young's modulus obtained at printing orientations of 0° and 45°, respectively.