Mechanical and Dimensional Characteristics of Fused Deposition Modeling Build Styles

As rapid prototyping becomes more prominent, industry relies more on the mechanical properties of the builds. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) tensile samples were constructed and tested in order to characterize the mechanical properties of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) FDM builds. Parameters such as fill gap, line width, and slice thickness were varied in the production of the FDM samples. This was performed independently to isolate the effect of each parameter on mechanical properties. Results include the ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, elongation, energy to fracture, modulus of elasticity, and dimensional analysis. High magnification fracture surface analysis was also be performed to aid in the characterization of sample failures.