Fatigue investigation of 3D-printed notched PLA specimens by Thermographic methods with FEM Simulation Integration

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) technology, particularly for polymers, as versatile technology, becomes increasingly important in various fields, especially in medical and healthcare. The wide usage of 3D printed parts and layer-by-layer nature of them introduces unique considerations for potential fatigue-related issues, therefore, fatigue crack propagation and material failure are significant concerns when it comes to the long-term performance and reliability of such components. In this context, thermography can help identify areas of localized heating that could indicate the initiation and propagation of fatigue cracks. Energy Methods are time-efficient and requires fewer specimens compared to conventional fatigue testing methods which can provide valuable insights to the design and printing parameters to enhance the fatigue performance. In this research, after modelling different types notched dog-bone specimens, they were printed with FDM printer using PLA material and similar setting parameters. After that, 3D printed specimens were subjected to static tensile loading and stepwise fatigue tests monitoring the energy release to assess their fatigue behaviour. Additionally, we employed ACP module in Ansys to model notched specimens, calculating stresses within different layers.