Effects of Process Parameters on Tensile Properties of 3D-Printed PLA Parts Fabricated with the FDM Method

This study investigates the influence of key fused deposition modeling (FDM) process parameters, namely, print speed, infill percentage, layer thickness, and layer width, on the tensile properties of PLA specimens produced using 3D printing technology. A Taguchi L9 orthogonal array was employed to design the experiments efficiently, enabling the systematic evaluation of parameter effects with fewer tests. Tensile strength and elongation at break were measured for each parameter combination, and statistical analyses, including the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio and analysis of variance (ANOVA), were conducted to identify the most significant factors. The results showed that infill percentage significantly affected tensile strength, while layer thickness was the dominant factor influencing elongation. The highest tensile strength (47.84 MPa) was achieved with the parameter combination of 600 mm/s print speed, 100% infill percentage, 0.4 mm layer thickness, and 0.4 mm layer width. A linear regression model was developed to predict tensile strength with an R² value of 83.14%, and probability plots confirmed the normal distribution of the experimental data. This study provides practical insights into optimizing FDM process parameters to enhance the mechanical performance of PLA components, supporting their use in structural and functional applications.