Effect of Processing Parameters on the Dynamic Characteristic of Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing Plates

Material extrusion (ME), an additive manufacturing technique, can fabricate parts almost without geometrical limitations. With the growing application of ME parts, especially in actual working conditions, the dynamic characteristics are needed to be studied to accurately determine their reliability. This study provides an experimental validation of the theoretical model for predicting the dynamic characteristics of ME plates fabricated with three different key processing parameters, i.e., extrusion width, layer height and build direction. The model is set up based on the bidirectional beam function combination method, and a series of experimental tests are performed. It is found that different processing parameters result in the material properties of the samples to vary, thus leading to different dynamic characteristics. Through the comparison between predictions and measurements, it is shown that the influencing trend of the processing parameters is predicted precisely. The theoretical model gives reliable predictions in dynamic characteristics of ME plates. The natural frequency discrepancy is below 13.4%, and the predicted mode shapes are the same as the measured ones. This present work provides theoretical basis and technical support for further research in improving the dynamic performance of ME products, and helps extend the applications of this technique.