Dimensional accuracy of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and polylactic acid samples printed in vacuum-assisted material extrusion system

Abstract

This paper discusses the impact of integrating a vacuum system into a material extrusion 3D printing process for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polylactic acid (PLA) materials. The study aimed to investigate the effect of a vacuum system on the dimensional accuracy of the printed samples. The vacuum system improved material flow and reduced dimensional deviations by reducing air molecules and minimizing convection. The results indicated a significant enhancement in dimensional accuracy for both ABS and PLA samples when using the vacuum system. ABS samples showed a 4% increase in accuracy, while PLA samples exhibited a 2% improvement compared to samples printed without vacuum assistance. These improvements were achieved by optimizing process parameters such as layer height (0.15 mm), infill percentage (10%), printing speed (45 mm/s), and bed temperature (60°C). These parameters were selected to ensure finer details, improved precision, structural support, stability, better adhesion, and reduced warping.