Predicting Critical Loads in Fused Deposition Modeling Graphene-Reinforced PLA Plates Containing Notches Using the...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Structural applications of 3D-printed composites require reliable critical load determination.
• Notches (stress risers) significantly impact the load-carrying capacity of components.
• Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is a common 3D printing technique for polymer composites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To apply the Point Method (PM) for estimating critical fracture loads in 3D-printed graphene-reinforced polylactic acid (PLA-Gr) plates.
• To evaluate the accuracy of the PM for FDM-processed PLA-Gr composites with various notch geometries and thicknesses.
• To assess the suitability of the PM for structural applications beyond prototyping.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) to fabricate PLA-Gr composite plates with a 45/-45 raster orientation.
• Incorporated U-notches, V-notches, and circular holes in plates of varying thicknesses (5-20 mm).
• Investigated different notch length to width ratios (a/W = 0.25 and 0.50).
• Applied the Point Method (PM) to estimate critical loads and compared with experimental data.

Main Results:

• The Point Method (PM) provided reasonable accuracy in estimating critical loads for the tested PLA-Gr composite plates.
• The accuracy of the PM for these 3D-printed composites was comparable to that achieved with traditionally manufactured materials.
• The presence and type of notches, as well as plate thickness and a/W ratio, influenced the critical load values.

Conclusions:

• The Point Method is a viable approach for determining critical fracture loads in FDM-printed PLA-Gr composites.
• The findings support the use of the PM for designing structural components made from these advanced materials.
• Further research can explore the PM's applicability to a wider range of 3D-printed composites and complex geometries.