Mechanical Response Under Compression of Dual-Material PLA/ABS Structures in Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing, particularly Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), enables the production of multi-material components with tailored mechanical properties; however, the compressive behavior of dual-material polymer systems remains insufficiently explored. This study investigates the compressive mechanical performance of dual-material PLA/ABS specimens fabricated by FFF, with emphasis on the influence of key process parameters. An experimental design based on the Taguchi method was employed to evaluate the effects of raster angle, raster angle variation, and material volume ratio. Compression tests were conducted in accordance with ASTM standards, and the resulting stress–strain data were analyzed to evaluate the compressive response and deformation characteristics. The results indicate that compressive stress values range from approximately 103 MPa to 138 MPa, with the highest performance obtained for specimens with 60% PLA and 40% ABS. Among the examined parameters, the material composition was identified as the most influential factor, followed by raster variation strategy. These findings demonstrate that dual-material configurations can achieve improved compressive performance through appropriate parameter selection, while also highlighting the significance of interfacial integrity between dissimilar materials. The study provides practical insights into the process–structure–property relationships of dual-material FFF structures, showing how raster strategy and PLA/ABS volume ratio influence compressive response and offering experimentally supported guidance for the fabrication of compression-dominated polymer components.