Developing a Material Property Library for Fused Deposition Modeling 3D printed parts to Support the Design of Assistive Technology
Author(s)
Ravi, Sreejith
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Abstract
Additive manufacturing, enables the rapid and affordable production of customized, low-volume assistive technology (AT) devices. However, a major challenge that persists is that the mechanical behavior of 3D printed parts is difficult to predict due to their anisotropic nature and the strong influence of printing parameters, such as infill pattern and density. These inconsistencies make it difficult to use finite element analysis (FEA) tools effectively. In most CAD environments, simulations rely on idealized or bulk material properties that don’t represent the actual printed geometry or internal structure.
This research aims to address this gap by developing a material property library that accounts for the anisotropic nature of FDM components, with a specific focus on supporting the design of low-volume assistive technology products. The primary objective is to empirically characterize common 3D printing materials (PLA, and PETG) by testing specimens fabricated with a range of infill patterns and infill densities to compile a structured material property library for direct use in CAD-based simulations.
By providing AT developers with this data, this work aims to establish a data-driven framework for designing FDM-based assistive technologies (AT), reduce the need to rely on over-engineered designs, and ultimately support the creation of safer and efficient assistive technology products.
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Date
2025-12
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Text
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Thesis (Masters Degree)