Journal of Material Sciences & Engineering

Continuous Extrusion Printing: Influence of the FDM Printing Trajectory on Thin-Walled 3d Printed Part Performance

Abstract

Pierre-Antoine Adragna*, Laurence Giraud-Moreau and Sashi Kiran Madugula

This paper deals with a new approach of printing thin-walled parts with FDM technology by the use of continuous extrusion printing. Continuous extrusion printing is possible only if the part respects some specific constraints allowing a one-step printing path (no extrusion stop and no head travel). However, not all printing trajectories guarantee the same geometrical quality and mechanical strength due to the junctions of the path in the printing slices. This paper presents trajectory constraints in the case of continuous extrusion printing for thin-walled parts. A case study illustrates the principle, and some feasible trajectories are compared. The key problem of junction is presented, and the effect of path on geometrical quality and mechanical strength are evaluated.