Study of the Influence of Perimeter Count on the Mechanical Properties of 3D-Printed PLA

This study investigates the effect of perimeter number on the mechanical and viscoelastic properties of FFF-produced PLA prints. This study follows on from a previous study that focused on the type and volume of infill in 3D printed samples. In the experiment, samples with a perimeter number ranging from 1 to 10 were created, and parameters such as tensile strength, yield strength, elastic modulus, and elongation were evaluated. The obtained data were supplemented with dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), which provided information on elastic modulus, loss modulus, and glass transition temperature. The results showed that increasing the perimeter number leads to a significant improvement in mechanical properties and increased structural integrity of the prints, which was also confirmed by microscopic analysis of fracture surfaces. Based on the experimental data, prediction models were created that allow estimating the behavior of prints with different perimeter configurations. The findings of this work may be beneficial in optimizing 3D printing parameters to increase the performance of functional parts.