Extrudate-level analysis of extrusion rate effects in fused filament fabrication
摘要
Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is rapidly expanding across multiple industries. This process builds parts layer by layer by depositing thermoplastic extrudates through a heated nozzle. However, its wider adoption for high-performance applications remains limited due to challenges in predicting mechanical properties and the generally reduced performance of printed parts. These challenges are typically attributed to insufficient interlayer bonding and meso-scale effects related to extrudate geometry. However, the influence of process conditions on the intrinsic properties of the extrudates, which are the fundamental building units of printed parts, has received limited attention. In this study, polylactic acid was extruded at different rates and examined at both extrudate and printed levels. Tensile testing showed that increasing the extrusion rate did not affect ultimate tensile strength or stiffness but caused substantial reduction in ductility, with an