Influence of extrusion 4D printing parameters on the thermal shape-morphing behaviors of polylactic acid (PLA)

A simple and inactive structure is able to transform into a complex and active one via four-dimensional (4D) printing. Controlling bending deformation, activation time, and temperature is crucial in 4D printing. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate and analyze the effect of different process parameters on the bending deformation of polylactic acid (PLA) shape-morphing produced by material extrusion additive manufacturing. These parameters included layup, layer thickness, printing speed, nozzle temperature, nozzle diameter, and bed temperature. Since the bending deformation is significantly affected by the specimen wall, this study has focused, for the first time, on the simultaneous influence of process parameters and presence of a wall on the deformation. Furthermore, the study examined the influence of printing parameters on activation time and activation temperature. The results indicated that increasing the pre-strain stored in the parts led to a decrease in activation time and activation temperature. Subsequently, the Taguchi design of experiment method was used to optimize the most influential parameters on the bending deformation. The difference between the optimal predicted and the experimental deformations was less than 2%. Layer thickness, layup, nozzle temperature, and printing speed were recognized as the most effective parameters for controlling deformation, respectively.