Over the last few years, fused filament fabrication (FFF) has become one of the most promising and widely used techniques for the rapid prototyping process. A number of studies have also shown the possibility of FFF being used for the fabrication of functional products, such as biomedical implants and automotive components. However, the poor mechanical properties possessed by FFF-processed products are considered one of the major shortcomings of this technique. Over the last decade, many researchers have attempted to improve the mechanical properties of FFF-processed products using several strategies—for instance, by applying the short fiber reinforcement (SFR), continuous fiber reinforcement (CFR), powder addition reinforcement (PAR), vibration-assisted FFF (VA-FFF) methods, as well as annealing. In this paper, the details of all these reinforcement techniques are reviewed. The abilities of each method in improving tensile, flexural, and compressive strength are discussed.

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Pressure vessel is a container that has been used to contain a pressurized fluids, either oil, gas, or other chemical fluids. It is widely used for the oil, gas and other chemical based industries. Nowadays, finite element analysis is commonly used to reduce the high cost of testing a pressure vessel before manufacturing process. However, further validation is needed to ensure the results of the simulation and safety of the pressure vessels. In this study, theory of distortion energy is used as the tools of validation based on materials properties and behavior. And finally to ascertain wether the pressure vessel is possible for production or a refinement for safety is needed. The results of the study shown that theory of distortion energy can be used as validation tool for finite element analysis on a pressure vessels, however it cannot ensure the safety. Therefore other validation methods are needed to ascertain the safety of the pressure vessel discussed in this report. The cost analysis shown that failure theory combined with other calculation methods can save costs in pressure vessel testing, although some fairly expensive tests cannot be avoided.

The ability of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D Printing technology to create complex objects makes this technology increasingly widely used. Apart from the advantages of FDM technology, the low dimensional accuracy and mechanical properties of FDM printed parts are one of the drawbacks of this process. In addition, developments in the use of elastic materials to create flexible products make the process of this technology requires special attention. This study focused on knowing the effect of process parameters, namely temperature and build orientation on dimensional accuracy and the value of hardness (Shore D Hardness) of the Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) material produced by FDM 3D Printing. The hardness test method refers to the ASTM D2240 standard for measuring Shore D hardness, while the dimensional accuracy is measured using a vernier caliper. The results showed that the temperature and build orientation had an influence on the accuracy and hardness values. The properties of TPE have different results from PLA which is completely shrunk. However, the porosity value does not have a significant effect on hardness, but the number of layers. The research results have been presented both in tables and graphically, and are briefly discussed in this study.