Evaluation of a complete characterization of polylactic acid used in additive manufacturing: biomedical application

N. Ben Hariz, A. Boulila, M. Ayadi, S. Fattouch

Abstract: Additive manufacturing (AM) has become one of the most important processes in mechanical manufacturing. It can now be successfully used to manufacture a custom structure without environmental impact. AM includes many techniques such as Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), which is considered one of the most widely used and mastered techniques. The objective of this study is to characterize the behavior of polylactic acid (PLA) after an FDM process.
However, many parameters related to the FDM process can affect the mechanical properties of the PLA material. In this paper, three parameters were considered: fill density, build plate temperature and contour thickness. Tensile, compression, and three-point bending tests were performed to determine the mechanical properties of PLA. The results obtained from the characterization of PLA seem to show that this material could be used in the biomedical field for the replacement of one or more parts of prosthetic hands.

Series on Biomechanics, Vol.36 No.3 (2022), 17-30
DOI: 10.7546/SB.02.03.2022

Keywords: additive manufacturing; Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM); mechanical proprieties; Polylactic Acid

Date published: 2022-11-01