Optimization of Mechanical Properties Using Fused Deposition Manufacturing Technique: A Systematic Investigation of Polycarbonate and Polylactic Acid Specimens

Abstract

This exploratory study investigates preliminary trends in the optimization of mechanical properties in 3D-printed components produced via Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) using polycarbonate (PC) and polylactic acid (PLA). Through a systematic full factorial experimental design, three critical parameters were examined: material types (PC and PLA), layer thickness (0.2 mm and 0.4 mm), and build orientation (horizontal and vertical). Preliminary trends suggest that vertically oriented specimens showed up to 64.7% higher tensile strength compared to horizontal builds, though with significantly reduced ductility. Contributing to growing evidence regarding layer thickness effects, thicker layers (0.4 mm) showed improved ultimate strength by up to 36.2% while simultaneously reducing production time by 50%. However, statistical power analysis revealed insufficient sample size (n = 1 per condition) to establish significance for orientation effects, despite large practical differences observed. PC specimens demonstrated superior strength (maximum 67.5 MPa) and fracture energy, while PLA offered better ductility (up to 22.4% strain). These exploratory findings provide promising directions for future adequately powered investigations for tailored parameter selection according to specific application requirements.