Experimental Investigation of Orientation-Dependent Tensile Behaviour in FDM-Printed ABS and CF-ABS Components

Abstract

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is widely utilized for manufacturing polymer parts, but attaining optimal mechanical properties continues to be difficult. This research investigates how build orientation and carbon fiber (CF) reinforcement affect the tensile properties of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) components made via FDM. Specimens of pure ABS and CF-reinforced ABS (CF-ABS) were produced in X, Y, and Z orientations and underwent tensile testing. The findings showed a significant reliance of mechanical properties on material composition and orientation. The Y-oriented CF-ABS sample demonstrated the greatest ultimate tensile strength (28.90 MPa) and Young’s modulus (2296.65 MPa), whereas Z-oriented specimens displayed considerably reduced strength as a result of inadequate interlayer adhesion. CF reinforcement improved stiffness and strength in the X and Y directions but lowered ductility, as elongation dropped from 1.06 % (ABS) to 0.67 % (CF-ABS). The analysis using Taguchi-based Design of Experiments (DOE) demonstrated that the most significant factors were orientation and material type. In summary, CF reinforcement significantly enhances tensile properties in advantageous orientations, offering essential information for refining FDM process settings in polymer composite production