Predicting the Strength of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Nanocomposites Based on the Filament Properties

ABSTRACT The production of nanocomposite parts through the additive manufacturing process has become popular due to its precision in creating complex geometries. This study focuses on predicting the tensile strength of 3D‐printed nanocomposites with varying print orientations. Filament properties, interlayer adhesion, and porosity serve as model inputs. Finite element modeling shows that interlayer adhesion and raster path have very little effect on the strength of the part in the longitudinal, transverse, and shear directions. A semi‐empirical formulation is developed to calculate longitudinal, transverse, and shear strengths based on the properties of the utilized nanocomposite filament in the feedstock of the printer. The results show a very good agreement with numerical modeling and experimental results. Finally, a simple formulation is developed based on a quadratic failure criterion in combination with classical lamination theory to predict the strength for 3D‐printed specimens with different raster orientations. The developed analytical model shows an excellent agreement with experimental observations.