ARCHIVES OF MECHANICAL TECHNOLOGY AND AUTOMATION

Vol. 34 no. 1 2014

FILIP GÓRSKI , WIESàAW KUCZKO , RADOSàAW WICHNIAREK

IMPACT STRENGTH OF ABS PARTS MANUFACTURED

USING FUSED DEPOSITION MODELING TECHNOLOGY

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is a widespread additive manufacturing technology, which

allows to obtain models of complex geometry without any tooling, directly from the digital CAD
representation. It has been found out during numerous studies, that strength of products obtained
using this technology is lower than strength of products manufactured of the same material, but
with conventional technologies such as injection molding. Furthermore, the strength is greatly
affected by orientation of part in the working chamber during manufacturing. The paper describes
experimental research aimed at examining the influence of the orientation on impact strength of
ABS parts produced with this technology. Test samples of various orientations were prepared and
subjected to Charpy impact test. Also, a number of reference samples were prepared with injection
molding of the same ABS material. Analysis of research results confirmed the assumptions made
and allowed to make some important observations regarding strength of models produced with
FDM technology.

Key words: Rapid Prototyping, Fused Deposition Modeling, Impact strength, Charpy test

1. INTRODUCTION

Rapid Prototyping, (RP) and Additive Manufacturing, (AM), also known as

Layered Manufacturing is a group of technologies that allow to produce a physical
prototype basing only on the 3D CAD model, without need of preparation tooling
of any kind. RP technologies have found their place among other, traditional man-
ufacturing technologies – they are invaluable, when there is a need of quick manu-
facturing of a physical prototype of a designed part [1].
The most widespread technologies of additive manufacturing are:
stereolithography (SLA), selective laser sintering (SLS), three dimensional print-
ing (3DP) and Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) [4]. Each of these technologies
has its advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, large number of possible process
parameters (e.g. layer thickness, temperature etc.) makes the mechanical proper-
Dr inĪ. Chair od Production Engineering and Management, Poznan University of
Mgr inĪ. Technology.
4 F. Górski, W. Kuczko, R. Wichniarek

ties of obtained products highly diversified. Unlike in traditional manufacturing

technologies, AMTs product properties are affected mostly by parameters of the
process [2]. Basic strength coefficients, such as bending strength, tensile strength
or impact strength, for objects of identical geometry and material but manufac-
tured with various process parameters, can present a difference of a few hundred
percent. Moreover, the layered manufactured products present a significant anisot-
ropy of mechanical properties [6, 8].
Fused Deposition modeling is a process of layered deposition of plasticized
build and support material supplied in form of a wire by an extrusion head (Fig-
ure 1). Numerically controlled device deposits build and support material on the
model base, with data about head positioning coming from horizontal cross-
sections of the part, prepared on the basis of the 3D CAD model. Obtained mod-
els can be subjected to further treatment by machining, gluing or painting, to
obtain desired surface quality. Produced part is ready for use immediately after
removing the support material [7].

Figure 1. Schema of the Fused Deposition Modeling process [7]

The most frequently used material for FDM products is the acrylonitrile bu-
tadiene styrene (ABS). Because of its thermal shrinkage, influence of thermal
stress must be considered during selection of process parameters [3]. It is note-
worthy that properties of products obtained from the ABS material through
a standard injection molding process are well known; however, this knowledge
cannot be applied directly during design and manufacturing of parts with the
Fused Deposition Modeling technology, as they have different properties. For
example, in the standard tensile test, strength of the ABS P400 (supplied by the
 Impact strength of ABS parts manufactured using … 5

Stratasys company) material for injection molded samples was equal to

30.1 MPa, while samples made with FDM technology did not exceed the
22.1 MPa level in the same test [6].
Finished product manufactured using Fused Deposition Modeling technology
can be characterized by technical coefficients, like strength (tensile, flexural
strength or impact resistance), dimensional and shape accuracy [5], as well as
economic coefficients, such as manufacturing time and amount of support and
build material used. Many factors have direct influence on these coefficients [3].
A phenomenon specific for the described technology is relatively high significance
of additive process parameters (more specifically, sets of parameters), which may
be directly or indirectly controlled by the process engineer (Figure 2). Orientation
of manufactured model during the process is the most important parameter of
these which can be changed directly.

Figure 2. Process parameters – Fused Deposition Modeling

Orientation of the model in the working chamber during layered manufactur-

ing process can be intuitively described as an angular difference between plane
determining direction of object division into layers and selected, basic plane of
the manufactured object (Figure 3). Orientation can be unequivocally defined by
three angular values. One of them – rotation in the Z axis (around vertical direc-
tion) has no importance from the viewpoint of technical and economical coeffi-
cients, as it has nearly no influence on how the object is divided into layers.
6 F. Górski, W. Kuczko, R. Wichniarek

Figure 3. Orientation of the model in the working chamber [6]

Dependency between manufacturing orientation (and other parameters of addi-

tive manufacturing process) and technical and economic product coefficients are
of a particular interest of research facilities all over the world dealing with the
additive manufacturing technology. There are studies focused on identification and
description of these relations [1, 3] and their generalization and formulation of
directives for control of economic and technical coefficients of products by opti-
mal selection of process parameters values. The studies presented in this paper are
a part of this general direction of research and are a continuation of previous stud-
ies by the authors, where tensile and bending strength was of concern.
Aim of the presented work was to determine an influence of the key parame-
ter of the additive manufacturing with FDM technology – orientation of the
product in the working chamber during layer deposition – on impact strength of
obtained products. Charpy impact tests of samples made out of ABS material
were performed to measure the impact strength. For comparison and reference,
a number of injection molded samples were prepared out of the same ABS mate-
rial and tested the same way.

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

2.1. Examined samples

For the studies, samples made using FDM technology on the Dimension BST
1200 machine were used. The samples were manufactured out of ABS material
supplied by the Stratasys company in form of a wire wound on a spool.
 Impact strength of ABS parts manufactured using … 7

Shape of the samples is compatible with guidelines of the PN-EN 10045-1,

which defines procedures and parameters of Charpy impact tests of polymer
materials. Possible dimensions of samples without a notch are presented in the
Table 1. The recommended sample size is type 2, and such samples were
manufactured.

Table 1
Recommended dimensions of samples for Charpy impact test

Sample dimensions [mm]

Support distance
Sample type length width thickness
d [mm]
l b t
1 120 ±2 15 ±0.5 10 ±0.5 70
2 80 ±2 10 ±0.5 4 ±0.2 60
3 50 ±1 6 ±0.2 4 ±0.2 40

For study presented in this paper, samples were manufactured in five

different orientations, with constant values of other process parameters. Layer
thickness was 0.254 mm and filling of the layer contour was defined as
a standard 45° filling pattern. Summary of samples used for research is presented
in the Table 2 and some of the samples are shown in the Figure 4. The table
contains additional information about manufacturing time of a single sample in
a given orientation, to present time consumption of the process as a function of
the orientation as well. Manufacturing time is one of the basic economic
coefficients of FDM-made products and it is taken into consideration during
selection of values of the process parameters.

Table 2
Summary of FDM-made samples used in the studies

Orientation Orientation Manufacturing time (one

No. Sample ID
X [°] Y [°] sample) [min]
1 0 (flat) 0 Flat-0 11
2 45 Flat-45 95
3 n/a 90 Vert 21
4 90 (side) 0 Side-0 14
5 45 Side-45 89

Batch of 10 samples of each type.

Apart from the samples manufactured by FDM technology, monolithic

samples were prepared (quantity of 10 pieces), to evaluate the impact strength of
the base material. These samples were prepared using an injection molding
technology. The filament from the ABS material cartridge was shredded,
resulting granulated material was dried in temperature of 80°C for 5 hours. The
8 F. Górski, W. Kuczko, R. Wichniarek

injection molding was performed using a pneumatic injection molding press

(single mold cavity), injection temperature was 240°C and mold temperature
was 80°C.

Figure 4. Additively manufactured samples used in the studies

2.2. Charpy impact test

Charpy impact test is one of the basic experimental procedures to determine

the object ability to be subjected to dynamical loads. During the test, a hammer
of a known mass is dropped from a specific height on a pendulum and hits the
sample placed against supports (see Figure 5). The test results are amounts of
energy absorbed by the material during fracture, which can be used to calculate
impact strength with known sample size.
The test was performed in the same ambient conditions for all 60 samples.
Before impact test, all the samples were measured to obtain exact cross-section
dimensions for further calculations.

Figure 5. Charpy impact test according to the Polish Standard

 Impact strength of ABS parts manufactured using … 9

3. RESULTS

Results of the impact tests are presented in the Table 3 and in the Figure 6. The
table contains both recorded energy and calculated impact strength, while the fig-
ure compares the average impact strength of all the sample types.
Table 3
Results of Charpy impact tests

Injection
Side-0 Flat-0 Side-45
Estimator molding
J kJ/m2 J kJ/m2 J kJ/m2 J kJ/m2
Average 2.53 62.86 1.20 28.80 0.74 17.71 0.03 0.60
Median 2.40 59.70 1.20 28.73 0.71 16.99 0.03 0.60
Max 3.23 80.35 1.42 34.13 1.02 24.58 0.05 1.20
Min 2.16 53.73 1.00 24.04 0.60 14.46 0.01 0.24

The first observation is a lack of results for samples Flat-45 and Vert. For these
samples, the recorded energy values were lower than the sensitivity of the measur-
ing equipment, thus being assigned values of zero. It can be assumed that samples
manufactured in these orientations have no impact strength at all. This confirms all
the previous trends discovered by the authors in previous researches. The side
X axis orientation proved to ensure better results than the flat orientation in all the
strength tests performed (tensile test, bending test, impact test). Also, a general
observed trend is a decrease in strength with increase in Y axis orientation angle.
What is noteworthy though, is a magnitude of this decrease – the Side-45 sample
type (the weakest sample type) has impact strength one hundred times lower than
the injected molded reference sample.

Figure 6. Charpy impact test results – average impact strength

10 F. Górski, W. Kuczko, R. Wichniarek

The highest impact strength for FDM made samples was observed for the
Side-0 sample type. Advantage of this sample type over the Flat-0 sample is
a result of a greater number of material threads laid perpendicularly to the load
direction (along the sample length). The more load distributed along the threads,
the highest overall load can be carried by the sample without its destruction.

Figure 7. Destroyed samples, from the left: Vert, Side-45, Flat-45, injection molded, Side-0, Flat-0

Visual evaluation of the destroyed samples (Figure 7) allows to draw some

conclusions about destruction mechanisms of the FDM products. The samples
Side-0 and Flat-0 are destroyed by thread fracture, while all the other samples are
destroyed by layer disjoining (fracture plane is parallel to the layer slicing plane).
The latter effect resembles a behavior of a brittle material, while the former re-
sembles a behavior of a monolithic, ABS-made product. Hence, a conclusion can
be drawn that orientation during manufacturing changes the macroscopic proper-
ties of the product – it starts to behave like one produced with a brittle material.

kJ/m2

Figure 8. Tensile strength [6] versus impact strength of the FDM samples
 Impact strength of ABS parts manufactured using … 11

Comparing the impact strength tests with tensile tests (Figure 8) for the same ori-
entations, it is clear that the trend is the same, but the scale is much different – the
spread between the samples of the worst and the best impact strength is very high.

4. CONCLUSIONS, SUMMARY

The following conclusions can be drawn from the test results:

– impact strength of the best FDM-made samples (Side-0 orientation) is only
a 47 % of the impact strength of the monolithic sample produced by injection
molding,
– material processed with additive FDM technology loses its ability to survive
impact and dynamic loads,
– upper limit of strength relative to base ABS material, able to be achieved by
FDM products, in case of impact strength is almost twice lower than in case of
tensile strength (80 % versus 47 %),
– only Side-0 and Flat-0 samples have shown an ability to carry dynamic
loads, the other samples behave like made out of a brittle material – the orientation
has a decisive influence on the product impact strength,
– range of results of samples Flat-0 and Side-0 made by FDM technology is
on a similar level, which means that for these orientations the manufacturing pro-
cess has the same, acceptable repeatability,
– studied samples had no notches, however FDM products have many materi-
al discontinuities (mostly inside) which act like notches during impact tests,
– only Side-0 samples present distinct traces of plastic deformation of the
sample material from the hammer side,
– trends from previously conducted experimental studies is confirmed also for
the impact tests – side orientation is stronger and the more layers in overall, the
lower strength the product has, as the connection between layers is the weakest
spot in the product.
The impact strength is not a property used often to evaluate the usefulness of
the product manufactured using the FDM technology for a given application. Still,
the general conclusion is that material discontinuities being an effect of layered
material deposition and method of layer filling have a significant influence on the
overall strength of the product. If it is possible, FDM process should be carried out
in a way to minimize the discontinuities and cavities in places of the product
which are the most vulnerable.
General conclusion can be drawn that it is not easy to select a proper orienta-
tion to meet all the requirements regarding accuracy and strength of the part. For
parts with simple geometry, it is usually the best way to focus on the economic
effectiveness, because short manufacturing time is usually related with higher
strength and in some cases – higher accuracy and better surface quality.
12 F. Górski, W. Kuczko, R. Wichniarek

The research presented in the paper was a part of a research grant financed by
Polish National Science Centre (decision number 2011/01/N/ST8/07603).

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UDARNOĝû WYROBÓW Z ABS KSZTAàTOWANYCH PRZYROSTOWO

TECHNIKĄ FUSED DEPOSITION MODELING

S t r e s z c z e n i e

W artykule opisano badania eksperymentalne mające na celu zbadanie wpáywu orientacji na

udarnoĞü wyrobów z ABS wytwarzanych techniką Fused Deposition Modeling. Próbki
wytworzone przy róĪnych orientacjach poddano testowi udarnoĞci máotem Charpy’ego. Oprócz
tego wytworzono metodą wtrysku próbki referencyjne z tego samego materiaáu ABS. Analiza
wyników badaĔ potwierdziáa wstĊpne tezy oraz waĪne obserwacje dotyczące wytrzymaáoĞci
wyrobów ksztaátowanych techniką FDM.

Sáowa kluczowe: szybkie prototypowanie, Fused Deposition Modeling, udarnoĞü, test Char-
py’ego