Altering the elastic properties of 3D printed poly-lactic acid (PLA) parts by compressive cyclic loading

Pepelnjak, Tomaž (author), Karimi, Ako (author), Maček, Andraž (author), Mole, Nikolaj (author)

In designing high-performance, lightweight components, cellular structures are one of the approaches to be considered. The present study aimed to analyze the effect of the infill line distance of 3D printed circular samples on their compressive elastic behavior. Lightweight cellular poly-lactic acid (PLA) samples with a triangular infill pattern were exposed to cyclic compressive loading and their stiffness was investigated. PLA is one of the most commonly used thermoplastic materials in additive manufacturing using the fused filament fabrication (FFF) process. Cylindrical samples with a diameter of 11.42 mm and a height of 10 mm were printed using FFF technology with two different infill line distances (1.6 mm and 2.4 mm). Comparing the nominal compressive stress-nominal strain curves under cyclic loading showed that the first cycle response was significantly different with respect to the subsequent ones. Furthermore, an analysis of the dependence of the modulus of elasticity on the effects of cyclic loading was performed. It was found that through elastic deformation, and combined elastic and plastic deformation, the samples’ properties such as stiffness could be altered.

• Language: English
• Keywords: 3D printing, compression test, cyclic loading, FFF, PLA, infill line distance, loading–unloading
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2020
• Number of pages: 18 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 13, iss. 19, art. 4456
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-121580
• UDC: 004.92:620.173(045)
• ISSN on article: 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma13194456
• COBISS.SI-ID: 32536579
• Publication date in RUL: 16.10.2020

PEPELNJAK, Tomaž, KARIMI, Ako, MAČEK, Andraž and MOLE, Nikolaj, 2020, Altering the elastic properties of 3D printed poly-lactic acid (PLA) parts by compressive cyclic loading. Materials [online]. 2020. Vol. 13, no. 19,  4456. [Accessed 22 July 2025]. DOI 10.3390/ma13194456. Retrieved from: https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=eng&id=121580

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Materials
• Shortened title: Materials
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 1996-1944
• COBISS.SI-ID: 33588485

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 08.10.2020

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: 3D tiskanje, FFF, PLA, tlačni preizkus, ciklično obremenjevanje

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P2-0248
• Name: Inovativni izdelovalni sistemi in procesi

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P2-0263
• Name: Mehanika v tehniki