Influence of Embedding Process on Mechanical Properties of Material Extrusion Parts

The layer-by- layer deposition of material in Additive Manufacturing (AM) introduces the capability for in-situ embedding of functional components into printed parts. The typical embedding process involves, i) designing the cavity for the embedded component, ii) pausing the print when the top layer of the cavity is reached, iii) manually inserting the component, and iv) resuming the build process. However, the effect of different interfacial materials (due to the presence or absence of a shape converter) and the pause time during the build process on a part’s material properties is not well-understood. Therefore, the tensile strength of 3D-printed embedded specimens with and without shape converters and with different intervals of pause time is tested in this study. The results from this experimental analysis can be useful for the design guidelines for AM with embedded components as they provide an initial understanding of mechanical properties of these parts.