Study of infill print design on production cost-time of 3D printed ABS parts

The ever-growing adoption of Additive Manufacturing (AM) can be attributed to lowering prices of entry-level extrusion-based 3D printers. It has enabled use of AM for prototypes and, often, to produce complex custom commercial products. With increasing access to material extrusion-based 3D printers and newer materials, the influence of print parameters, specifically infill patterns on the mechanical strength and print costs, needs to be investigated. This study presents the relationship between various infill designs and different mechanical properties based on ASTM testing standards along with production cost-time. Relevant infill designs are recommended based on loading conditions and savings in production cost when compared to solid infill design. The influence of production cost based on production grade and entry-level printers on selection of infill design is presented. Findings from this study will help formulate criteria for selection of optimal infill design based on loading conditions and cost of printing.