Analysis of 3D-Printed Nylon/PETG Hybrid Polymer Laminate Plate for Wind Turbine Nacelle Application

Abstract

This study aims to develop hybrid polymer laminate (HPL) structure utilizing the 3D printing fused filament fabrication (FFF) method and analyze the printing process. The HPL plates were fabricated using PETG and nylon 66 thermoplastic polymers at varying infill densities, printing speeds, and layer thicknesses. The experimental setup followed a fixed matrix based on the L9 orthogonal array (OA). Each HPL consisted of a bottom layer printed with nylon 66, with PETG layers sandwiched on top. Subsequently, the samples underwent testing using a UTM m/c to assess their tensile and flexural strength, as well as printing efficiency. Warping was observed on the printed samples, with a maximum tensile strength of 27 MPa and flexural strength of 14.5 MPa recorded. Notably, different strength values were observed when altering printing parameters. While the printing process was successful, the resulting HPL exhibited slightly lower strength compared to PETG or nylon 66 filaments. The study achieved a maximum printing efficiency of 90% (η), with the layer thickness parameter significantly impacting tensile properties. These findings offer valuable insights and required for various industrial applications, including wind turbines, electronics, automotive, and aeronautics.