OPTIMIZATION OF 3D PRINTING PARAMETERS FOR PLA/PCL FILAMENT USING THE TAGUCHI METHOD: EFFECTS ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND SHAPE MEMORY PERFORMANCE

Year 2025, Volume: 13 Issue: 2, 408 - 428, 01.06.2025

Meltem Eryıldız , Bekir Kağan Kutluhan , Mihrigül Ekşi Altan

https://doi.org/10.36306/konjes.1625600

Abstract

This study investigates the optimization of 3D printing process parameters for PLA/PCL filament using the Taguchi method. A Taguchi L9 orthogonal array design was employed to explore the effects of print speed (40, 60, 80 mm/s), temperature (185,190,200°C), and infill pattern (the Lines, Gyroid, Triangle) on both mechanical and shape memory properties of the printed parts. The experiments were conducted using a Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printer. The mechanical properties, including tensile strength, and shape memory properties such as shape recovery ratio, were evaluated for each combination of process parameters. The experiments revealed that a print speed of 40 mm/s, a nozzle temperature of 185°C, and the Lines infill pattern produced the best shape memory performance, achieving the shape recovery rate of 78.60% and the recovery time of 69 seconds. For tensile strength, the optimal conditions were found to be 40 mm/s, 185°C, and the Gyroid infill pattern, resulting in the highest tensile strength of 21.985 MPa. However, for simplicity and faster production, the Lines infill pattern is preferred. This research provides valuable insights for optimizing the 3D printing process of PLA/PCL filament and enhancing its mechanical and shape memory performance, which is crucial for various applications in biomedical, textile, and packaging industries.

Keywords

3D Printing , Mechanical Properties , PLA/PCL Filament , Shape Memory Properties , Taguchi Method

Ethical Statement

The authors declare to comply with all ethical guidelines, including authorship, citation, data reporting, and original research publication.

Supporting Institution

This study was supported by Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) under the Grant Number 123M748. The authors thank to TUBITAK for their supports.

Project Number

123M748

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