Effect of Process Parameters and Shot Peening on Mechanical Behavior of ABS Parts Manufactured by Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF)

The goal of this research was to understand how shot peening affected the tensile strength and elongation of ABS polymer parts between three process parameters: layer height, infill angle, and outer shell quantity. Experiments were conducted using a Hyrel 30M fused filament fabrication (FFF) printer to produce ASTM 638D-IV samples. This is an important area of research because 3D printed polymers have typically been limited to prototyping applications due to low strengths and stiffness. Traditional means of improving a polymer’s mechanical properties are changing the structural or chemical makeup. However, shot peening, a surface treatment commonly used to improve mechanical properties of metals, was hypothesized to have a statistically significant effect on the tensile strength and elongation of polymer parts. Results showed that shot peening had a significant effect on decreasing the tensile strength. Although not statistically significant, samples did show an increase in elongation after shot peening.