Analyzing the Impact of Print Parameters on Dimensional Variation of ABS specimens printed using Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM)

Fused Deposition Modelling is the most popular additive manufacturing technique. Its ability to build complex designs in limited time and money makes it more accessible than other AM techniques. Many Industries employ this technique in Prototyping, tooling, and mold design. However, the dimensional accuracy of the printed part is susceptible to deviations with changes in print settings, this drawback of FDM affects its employability in large scale manufacturing, where repeatability is of paramount importance. Therefore, in this paper the impact of six significant print parameters; wall thickness, infill density, build plate temperature, print speed, layer thickness and extrusion temperature on the dimensional accuracy of the printed specimens have been studied. The material chosen for the study is Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). The experiments were conducted using a small resolution central composite design (CCD) and it was found that layer thickness and print speed have the most significant impact on the dimensional accuracy of the printed parts, it is also observed that lower values of layer thickness and higher print speed result in better dimensional accuracy.