Abstract
Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) is a 3D printing method which is cost-effective and easily implemented as a rapid prototyping and small volume production tool. The layer-by-layer construction technique provides numerous benefits but fabricates parts that are highly anisotropic. The Homogeneous Fill Method (HFM) is a proposed post-process solution to this challenge wherein low infill percentage parts are injected with a solution derived from the printer filament. In this study, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) tensile test specimens were fabricated, then evaluated in the as-printed condition as well as after HFM post-processing via tensile testing. Test specimens were fabricated in 3 print orientations to isolate the effects of the post-processing on the bulk material strength and layer-to-layer bonding strength. It was demonstrated that while tensile strength was reduced 35% by post-processing the samples, the anisotropy was also reduced by 38.1%. Fracture surface analysis revealed a reduction of print layer boundary definition in post-processed samples, indicating an improvement in layer bonding was achieved. In conclusion, the significant reduction of anisotropy with HFM provides the feasibility of this method for cost-effective preparation of isotropic 3D components.