Structural Integrity Analysis of 3D Printed Square Blocks Using Finite Element Methods
Keywords:
3D Printing, Additive Manufacturing, Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Structural Integrity, Fatigue Analysis, Modal Analysis, Compressive Strength, Safety Factor, PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU, Stress Distribution.Abstract
This effort presents a holistic structural integrity study of the 3D printed blocks using the Finite Element Method (FEM). For analysis purposes, simple 25 mm × 25 mm × 25 mm block has been selected, using different 3D printing materials such as Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol-modified (PETG), and Polylactic Acid (PLA). Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was performed to evaluate the compressive strength, fatigue life, safety factor, and natural frequencies of the printed blocks in the vertical and horizontal positions. Model construction involves layer-by-layer deposition through ACP-Pre, with a 1 mm thickness per layer, making 25 layers for each block. Structural, fatigue and modal were simulation under a compressive load of 12200 N using a meshed model consisting of 8424 nodes and 7225 quadrilateral elements. The results show the deformation behaviour, equivalent stress distribution, fatigue life, and safety factors of each material depending on the orientation of print and the material properties that influence mechanical performance. The findings will, hence, support the design and reliability optimization of 3D printed components in engineering and industrial applications.
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