Optimization of FDM manufacturing parameters for the compressive behavior of cubic lattice cores: an experimental approach by Taguchi method

Lattice structures are regularly employed in different industries ranging from biomedical to automobile and aircraft due to their excellent mechanical properties, outstanding load carrying and energy absorption capabilities, and better strength-to-weight ratio compared to traditional structures. On the other hand, fused deposition modeling (FDM) is a cost-effective method of additive manufacturing (AM) vastly used for plastic materials which are biocompatible, biodegradable, and environment-friendly in nature. The main aim of this study is to investigate the effect of FDM printing parameters, namely, layer height, nozzle temperatures, printing speeds, and bed temperatures, on a simple cubic lattice structure printed from PLA filament. The design of the experiment is conducted through L16 orthogonal array. After conducting compression tests, four significant outcomes, namely, modulus of elasticity, compressive strength, fracture strain, and modulus of toughness, are calculated from the stress-strain curves. Furthermore, an ANOVA (analysis of variance) test is carried out to find out the influence of each parameter. The analysis revealed that layer height is the most crucial parameter for modulus of elasticity and compressive strength. Secondly, the study also demonstrates the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) analysis of each parameter and suggests the best manufacturing parameters, such as the layer height, printing temperature, printing speed, and bed temperature as 0.1 mm, 210 degrees C, 30 mm/s, and 60 degrees C, respectively, for the highest compressive strength. An SEM (scanning electron microscopy) analysis is carried out to examine the defects of the optimized lattice structure and found that the optimized structure has fewer defects in comparison to the non-optimized lattice core. Finally, based on these optimized parameters, a bone scaffold model is proposed for future biomedical applications.