Analyzing the composite 3-D printer frame for rigidity

Abstract

Additive Manufacturing offers a wide variety of options when it comes to the construction of a part. Different infill patterns, infill densities, varying shell thickness, and different materials all have different effects on the final strength of a functional 3D printed part. This paper studies the benefits of using a fused deposition modeling (FDM) process to print a part completely hollow and fill the completed hollow shell with epoxy resin to create a solid component. FDM is also known as fused filament fabrication (FFF). Often times, large functional FDM parts can take quite a long time to complete printing due to high strength setting requirements. Hollow parts can print much faster than parts with infill, then be filled with an epoxy resin to create a solid part in much less time. When cured, the resin filled components will produce a stronger and more rigid finished product than a printing the part with comparable print settings. To illustrate this, a 3D printer frame was designed, analyzed with an FEM simulation and fabricated.