Fractographic analysis of tensile failure of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene fabricated by fused deposition modeling

Abstract The aim of the present study is to utilize fractographic methods employing scanning electron microscope (SEM) images to investigate the effects of build direction and orientation on the mechanical response and failure mechanism for Acrylonitrile–Butadiene–Styrene (ABS) specimens fabricated by fused deposited modeling (FDM). The material characterized here is ABS-M30 manufactured by Stratasys, Inc. Measurements of tensile strength, elongation-at-break and tensile modulus measurements along with the failure surfaces were characterized on a range of specimens at different build direction and raster orientation: ±45°, 0°, 0/90°, and 90°. The analysis of mechanical testing of the tensile specimens until failure will contribute to advances in creating stronger and more robust structure for various applications. Parameters, such as build direction and raster orientation, can be interdependent and exhibit varying effects on the properties of the ABS specimens. The ABS-M30 specimens were found to exhibit anisotropy in the mechanical response when exposed to axial tensile loading. The stress-strain data was characterized by a monotonic increase with an abrupt failure signifying brittle fracture. In certain combinations of build direction and raster orientation tensile failure was preceded by slight softening. The tensile strength and modulus, and elongation-at-break were found to be highly dependent upon the raster orientation and build direction. The relationship between the mechanical properties and failure was established by fractographic analysis. The fractographic analysis offers insight and provides valuable experimental data for the purpose of building structures in orientations tailored to their exemplified strength. For instance, specimens loaded such that bonds between adjacent rasters are the primary load bearing mechanism offer the least significant failure resistance. Other examples are shown where artifacts of the FDM fabrication process act to enhance tensile strength when configured properly with respect to the load. The results highlighted in this study are fundamental to the development of optimal design of complex ultra-light structure weight with increased structural efficiency. The study also presents a systematic scheme employing analogs to traditional fiber-reinforced polymer composites for the designation of build orientation and raster orientation parameters.

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