The effect of process parameters on geometric deviations in 3D printing with fused deposition modelling

Despite the large diffusion of additive manufacturing, and markedly fused filament fabrication, some quality aspects of the 3D printed parts have not been dealt with sufficiently. This applies particularly to geometric accuracy and the influence process parameters have on it. The paper describes an experiment in which 27 copies of a part were manufactured by means of a desktop fused filament fabrication device while manipulating layer thickness, printing speed, and number of contours. The effect of such process parameters on five typologies of geometric deviations and the duration of the printing process was assessed. While all the process parameters showed effects on both the printing time and some geometric deviations, the number of contours resulted as the most critical factor. The paper includes a proposal to optimize geometric accuracy and the rapidity of the process, which foresees the maximization of the number of contours, the minimization of the layer thickness, and the use of an intermediate value for printing speed.