Investigation of 3D Printing Filling Structures Effect on Mechanical Properties and Surface Roughness of PET-G Materials Products

3D printing filling structures at prototyping and design stage are increasingly important issue for products with complicated shapes. The objective of the present study is to investigate 3D printing filling structures effect on mechanical properties and surface roughness of PET-G (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol) material products. PET-G material was preferred because of its durability, high transparency and odor characteristics. A variety of methods are used to manufacture products. Each has its advantages and drawbacks. One of the these methods to adopt for this investigation was FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printing method. The FDM method was considered that it has a direct effect on the mechanical properties and surface roughness of the product. The experiments were carried out using PET-G materials with different printing filling structures (rectilinear, triangular, full honeycomb), at processing speed of 50 mm/s and all other operating parameters fixed same conditions on 3D printer. Uniaxial tensile tests, hardness measurements and surface roughness measurements of the printed products were carried out. The results were analyzed and compared.