Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM): New Standards for Mechanical Characterization

Different materials from polycarbonate to polyetherimide are analyzed to account for the effects of different printing settings on the mechanical properties of parts printed by Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM). The materials chosen are engineering polymers specifically developed for functional applications. However, the two polymers differ in terms of melt temperature and viscosity thus resulting in different printing quality. The aim of the work is to elucidate the different mechanical performance by selecting the printing and testing settings to obtain statistically significant results. As the result of this study, some useful guidelines are drawn to develop standard procedures for the mechanical characterization of FDM printed parts.