Details

The research presented in this report aims to analyze the effects of implementing bio-inspired patterns as the lay-up methods for Fused Deposition Modeling 3D printing, where the print parameters as well as the formation of the bio-inspired structure are given variations in their dimensional properties. When testing for the static and dynamic properties of two materials (PA-12 and PA-12 reinforced with 20% carbon fiber), it is possible to observe that PA-12 presents high impact resistance properties, but underperforms at flexural strength. PA-12/20 behaves in the opposite way. This leads to the generation of multi-material samples, where a balance in these properties is achieved. The effect of the pitch angles generated for the structure prove to alter the impact and flexural properties of the samples, where 10° yields the highest material properties on mono-material samples, and 5° for multi-material samples. Additionally, the analysis on the effect of altering the print track dimensions proves that at smaller dimensions of width (0.3mm), the structure presents higher inter-track stability and yields better mechanical properties. By increasing this parameter, the printing times are greatly reduced, but the failure mechanisms of the structure are altered.