Full Field Strain Measurement of Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing Parts with Solid and Sparse Infill Geometries

Full field strain during tensile deformation is measured in parts produced by material extrusion additive manufacturing (MEAM) using digital image correlation. Many studies have been conducted to examine stress and strain at the part level; however, local levels of stress and strain within MEAM parts remain largely unexplored. This study documents the effects of tensile loading on acrylonitrile butadiene styrene parts fabricated with MEAM using both solid and sparse infill geometries. The effects of different toolpath orientations on local tensile strain are also studied. A novel build strategy for creating sparse infill geometry to improve part strength is introduced and tested.