Numerical Prediction of 3D Printed Specimens Based on a Strengthening Method of Fracture Toughness

Abstract : This work focuses on the implementation of mechanical behaviors from a previous Fused Depositing Modelling (FDM) method [1] into a Finite Element Modelling (FEM) in order to compare the mechanical and numerical results. Indeed, a former research reproducing the principal stress directions into Compact Tension (C-T) samples has been carried out by using fracture mechanics analysis [1,2]. We replicated these principal stress directions through an extrusion deposition by 3D printing in order to improve the fracture toughness. Then, the results were analyzed by comparing a C-T standard tensile test procedure with classical and optimized filament deposition. Eventually, this work observed that the fracture toughness was improved up to 20 % compared to a classical deposition. The objective of this new study is to obtain a reliable numerical simulation to reproduce the previous method and check the mechanical phenomena. The proposed method implies local elements to capture the filaments trajectories and to associate them with the Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) material's reference on ABAQUS.