The influence of the 3D-printing technology on the physical and mechanical properties of polyphenylene sulfone

Purpose This paper aims to examine the impact of three-dimensional (3D) printing technological modes (using fused deposition modelling [FDM]) on physical and mechanical properties of samples from polyphenylenesulfone. Design/methodology/approach For this study, the standard test samples were printed using the FDM method at different filament orientation angles, the gaps between them and a different width. The basic physical and mechanical properties, such as the strength, the elastic modulus and the impact strength, were studied. Findings The authors found that the basic mechanical properties strongly depend on the printing settings. In particular, the elastic modulus generally depends on the air gap between rasters, and it is practically independent of the filament orientation angle. In contrast, the impact strength depends on the orientation and the degree of adhesion between filaments: the highest values are reached at the longitudinal orientation of rasters in the sample (0°) and the minimum value of the air gap (−0.025 mm). However, in selecting the optimal mode of 3D printing, it is necessary to take into account the specific geometry of the printing products and the direction of the stress that it will experience. Originality/value The paper presents the results of the investigation of the influence of FDM printing modes on the mechanical properties of samples from polyphenylenesulfone, including impact strength. The authors studied the mechanisms of the destruction under impact loading and revealed the optimal printing settings for making samples with properties which are not inferior to the injection molded samples.