Effects of raster angle in single- and multi-oriented layers for the production of polyetherimide (PEI/ULTEM 1010) parts with fused deposition modelling

Abstract Material type and part deposition orientation are two important concerns in additive manufacturing. Additive manufacturing methods utilized by the industry are generally based on polylactic acid (PLA) or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) materials using the fused deposition modelling (FDM) method. However, in present commercial applications, besides extensive use of PLA/ABS, their low strength has emerged as their biggest disadvantage. However, polyetherimide (PEI)/ULTEM 1010 parts represent high-performance engineering thermoplastics and offer superior mechanical properties with high thermal stability. On the other hand, selection of an appropriate raster angle orientation for single- and multi-oriented layers is also of considerable interest. A comprehensive study has been conducted herein on the building of a part using the FDM method using PEI/ULTEM 1010, and attempts have been made to identify the effects of raster angle in single- (0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 90°) and multi-oriented (0/90°, 30°/−60°, 45°/−45°, 0°/90°/45°/−45°) layers. PEI specimens were manufactured via 3D printer, and the mechanical behaviour (tensile, bending and hardness) of the printed parts was correlated with their structures. Morphological properties of tensile fracture surface of 3D printed samples were analysed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Analysis indicated that a 0° part deposition orientation offers optimal mechanical properties because of the bonding structure.