Evaluation of PLA and PETG as 3D-Printed Reference Materials for Compressive Strength Testing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Civil Engineering
• Manufacturing Technology

Background:

• Reliable reference materials are crucial for validating compressive strength tests in construction.
• Current reference materials may lack consistency or are expensive.
• 3D printing technology presents an accessible method for fabricating custom testing materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of using 3D printing to create reference materials for compressive strength testing.
• To evaluate the influence of printing parameters (infill density, temperature) and material properties (PLA vs. PETG) on compressive strength.
• To assess the long-term stability and repeatability of 3D printed reference materials.

Main Methods:

• Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing was used to fabricate cubic samples from Polylactic Acid (PLA) and Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol-modified (PETG).
• Samples with varying infill densities were subjected to compressive strength testing.
• The effect of storage time and ambient temperature fluctuations on test results was analyzed.

Main Results:

• Both PLA and PETG showed a strong linear correlation between infill density and compressive strength.
• PLA exhibited higher initial compressive strength (up to 70.7 kN) compared to PETG (up to 44.1 kN).
• PETG demonstrated superior long-term stability, with less variability in results after 31 days compared to PLA.

Conclusions:

• 3D printed materials, particularly PETG, show promise as repeatable reference materials for compressive strength testing in civil engineering quality control.
• PETG's aging resistance makes it a more suitable candidate for durable reference standards than PLA.
• This research provides a pathway to developing accessible and reliable mechanical reference materials for destructive testing applications.