A Study of the Optimization of FDM Parameters for the Manufacture of Compression Specimens from Recycled PETG in the Context of the Transition to the Circular Economy

Abstract

The current paper presents the results of a research on the optimization of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) parameters, namely the height of the deposited layer in one pass, Lh, and the filling percentage, Id, with the purpose of manufacturing compression specimens from recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (rPETG), and thus, aiming the transition to circular economy. A total of 45 compression specimens were manufactured from rPETG on the Anycubic 4Max Pro 3D printer with variable parameters Lh = 0.10 mm, 0.15 mm, 0.20 mm, and Id = 50%, 75%, 100%. All 45 specimens were tested in compression on the Barrus White 20 kN universal testing machine. The considered variable parameters influence the Compressive Strength (CS) of the specimens, with Id being the parameter with overwhelming influence.