Properties and Application of Wood-Plasticcomposites Obtained by FDM 3D Printing

The paper explores the mechanical properties and application of wood plastic composites in the 3D printing industry, focusing on FDM printing technology. The Wood-PLA and Red-PLA materials with three layer heights were tested to determine and compare the mechanical properties of these materials. The results presented in this paper were obtained by testing specimens printed on printers using nozzles with smaller diameters. The results show that Wood-PLA has lower mechanical characteristics than Red-PLA for both, tested flexural and tensile properties. The advantages of Wood-PLA are the aesthetic properties that make the printed objects more natural, and warmer. It is possible to perform texture as in natural wood, and surface laser engraving. The possibility of integrating wood waste into high-profit elements printed by using numerous variations of FDM technologies is a new approach to the development and application of wood plastic composites. It leads to a better utilization of wood residues.