Dual-objective Analysis for Desktop FDM Printers: Energy Consumption and Surface Roughness

FDM printing has become familiar and close to the public. Considering its scale, the energy consumption of desktop FDM printers should be attended. Existing research, however, heavily focused on part quality, particularly, surface roughness. In this research, energy consumption and surface roughness were simultaneously considered. Full factorial experiments were designed and conducted, to 1) investigate the impact of key process parameters, including layer thickness, printing speed, and infill ratio, on the energy consumption and surface roughness using one desktop printer, and 2) compare the energy consumption and surface roughness of fabricated parts using a same set of parameters on three different printers. Dual-objective analysis was then performed. Layer thickness was identified as the most influential factor, generating opposite impact on the two objectives. The observed surfaces are relatively rough with uncertainties, such as spikes and wavy curves. It is, therefore, suggested that most desktop printers can be configured primarily for energy savings.