Effects of Printing Parameters on the Shape Memory Recovery Properties of 3D Printed Parts with Stereolithography Vat Polymerization Process

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are materials that respond to external stimuli such as heat, light, and electricity.Upon exposure to the external stimulus, SMPs return to their original shape from a temporary shape.SMPs can be manufactured through traditional polymer manufacturing processes such as molding and extrusion.However, the integration of SMPs into additive manufacturing (AM), which is also known as 3D printing, allows engineers to design products with more complex shapes and functions.Various 3D printing technologies and materials are used in the industry, depending on the required product features, specifications, and functionality.The common principle of AM technologies is to build the objects by adding material layer by layer according to digital model information from computer-aided design (CAD) software.The effects of printing parameters on the mechanical characteristics of 3D printed parts are documented in the literature.This research area is evolving continuously as new materials and technologies are developed.The focus of this study is to investigate the effects of printing parameters on the shape memory recovery properties of 3D printed parts with the stereolithography (SLA) vat polymerization process.In this research, a Formlabs SLA 3D printer with FLGPCL02 material was used.The FLGPCL02 is a commercially available liquid polymer that shows good shape memory characteristics when cured with a laser source.For analysis purposes, the effects of print orientation and layer thickness on the shape recovery force and shape recovery speed of the 3D printed parts were investigated.