Effect of process parameters on flexural strength and surface roughness in fused deposition modeling of PC-ABS material

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is one of the most commonly used additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, which has found application in industries to meet the challenges of design modifications without significant cost increase and time delays. Process parameters largely affect the quality characteristics of AM parts, such as mechanical strength and surface finish. This article aims to optimize the parameters for enhancing flexural strength and surface finish of FDM parts. A total of 18 test specimens of polycarbonate (PC)-ABS (acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene) material are printed to analyze the effect of process parameters, viz. layer thickness, build orientation, and infill density on flexural strength and surface finish. Empirical models relating process parameters with responses have been developed by using response surface regression and further analyzed by analysis of variance. Main effect plots and interaction plots are drawn to study the individual and combined effect of process parameters on output variables. Response surface methodology was employed to predict the results of flexural strength 48.2910 MPa and surface roughness 3.5826 µm with an optimal setting of parameters of 0.14-mm layer thickness and 100% infill density along with horizontal build orientation. Experimental results confirm infill density and build orientation as highly significant parameters for impacting flexural strength and surface roughness, respectively.