Layer combination of similar infill patterns on the tensile and compression behavior of 3D printed PLA

With the growing popularity of 3D-printed products, material consumption has been a major concern in additive manufacturing in recent years. Choosing the infill structure and the printing parameters for an application can be challenging for product designers and engineers, which can lead to reduced material and increased cost savings while maintaining product functioning.This study investigates the mechanical behavior of 3D-printed PLA structures by exploring the influence of multi-layer infill patterns on tensile and compressive strength. Three common infill patterns (triangular, grid, and honeycomb) were evaluated at 20% and 50% densities. A novel approach was employed, incorporating specimens with single-, two-, and four-layer same pattern combinations, where subsequent layers were rotated 180 degrees to enhance interlayer bonding. Results demonstrated significant improvements in both tensile (up to 64%) and compressive strength (up to 47%) for two-layer structures compared to single-layer counterparts. The findings provide valuable insights into optimizing infill design and layer configurations for improved tensile and compressive strength and material efficiency in 3D-printed structures. This research highlights the potential for optimizing 3D-printed part performance through strategic multi-layer infill design, offering a pathway toward reduced material consumption and enhanced mechanical properties in additive manufacturing.