Comparison between ALE and Lagrangian finite element formulations to simulate tensile loading for FDM parts

Abstract

Abstract. Material Extrusion (MEX) and by extension Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is a popular Additive Manufacturing (AM) process used to fabricate complex parts. FDM as of recent is no longer solely utilized for prototyping parts but also used for producing functional components in industrial and research applications. The investigation of material properties of these FDM parts by experimental means is a time-consuming task. Therefore, the use of numerical simulation methods is highly required. Since 1993, various Finite Element Analysis (FEA) models are found in literature attempting to effectively simulate FDM parts utilizing many formulations, each with their pros and cons. The present study aims to compare Lagrangian and Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) finite element formulations in simulating tensile loading for FDM parts. The efficiency and precision of the aforementioned methods is evaluated in the numerical simulation of the tensile loading of an ASTM D638 standard geometry ABS specimen utilizing both ABAQUS/Explicit and ABAQUS/Standard. Utilizing a paper from the literature for experimental validation, this study additionally provides insight into explicit and implicit models’ computational efficiency, focusing on the advantages of explicit models for this application. The effects of mesh element type and size on results are also studied for each method. Based on these results, some useful guidelines for selecting the most suitable model of tensile loaded FDM parts are presented.