Analyse the mechanical property optimization for FDM/3D-printed polycarbonate using Taguchi and TOPSIS techniques

Fused Deposition Modeling is 3D printing techniques which chiefly appreciated for prototypes. This manufacturing process works by extrusion of thermoplastic materials to make the three-dimensional objects. In this work, we pursued to identify the FDM parameters to increase mechanical properties, specifically ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and compressive strength (CMS). Polycarbonate was chosen to create the test samples because of the best thermal and mechanical properties, which was the increasing manufacturing applications of 3D printing. Nine experiments were conducted to verify the interaction of the considered parameters, namely infill rate (IR), printing speed (PS), and film height (FH). The combined use of the Taguchi and TOPSIS approaches makes the interaction of the considered parameters clearer, pointing out the most favorable combinations in terms of optimizing the mechanical properties of 3D-printed polycarbonate samples. From the Taguchi-TOPSIS method results, the optimal parameters were acknowledged as IR1-PS1-FH2. An experiment focused under these optimal settings resulted in UTS of 29.59 MPa and CMS of 34.5 MPa. Furthermore, the relative closeness coefficients for the initial and optimized factors were 0.36182 and 0.7734 respectively, proving a significant improvement in product quality. Finally, this study highlighted the potential for further refinement of FDM processes in enhancing the mechanical properties, provided the valuable insights for industries leveraging additive manufacturing for high-performance applications.