<p>Luckily, some manufacturers have started providing data about the mechanical properties of their materials. For example: <a href="https://www.stratasys.com/siteassets/materials/materials-catalog/fdm-materials/pla/mss_fdm_pla_0118a.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Stratasys material dataset</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-28T07:29:11.583Z
Nice they provide such data, but those figures are based on the adhesion they managed to get in their test articles, this doesn't necessarily imply that that is applicable to your own prints.
0scar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-28T14:22:04.350Z
It's far from ideal, but it can be used as a coarse approximation. Currently, it is the best I've been able to find without needing to test it myself
user24849449
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-26T15:27:01.283Z
2024-10-26T15:27:01.283Z
user24849449
<p>FDM printed parts are notoriously anisotropic, making them difficult to simulate using FEA tools. In other fields, like electronics, it is a common practice to handle that by simplifying models by homogenizing their properties. By doing so, the internal structure of the part is replaced by its macroscopic properties, which allows checking if it fullfills its purpose faster, as a much simpler geommetry can be analysed. An example can be found in <a href="https://github.com/ethz-pes/litz_wire_homogenization_comsol_matlab" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Litz Wire Homogenization with COMSOL and MATLAB</a>, which uses the macroscopic properties of Litz wire for estimating its power losses without needing to model each strand.</p>
<p>I have been able to find some papers that use a similar approach for simulating 3D printed parts, but generally, they use empirical models that can just be used for specific printer settings.</p>
<p>My objective is to be able to validate functional parts before 3D printing them to reduce the amount of time used for building prototypes while tuning the design. I'm not trying to achieve precise results, as I can use a high safety factor to handle the uncertainities caused by simplifications (like the ones introduced when designing injection molded or metal parts).</p>
<p>How do you determine if your functional designs will be able to handle the forces that will be applied to them? Do you use any homogenization to simulate or analitically calculate the deformations and stresses that the part will suffer?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-18T16:39:11.453Z
To be clear, are you looking to build a practical piece of software containing some kind of stress analysis, or are you writing some kind of paper describing the process of performing a stress analysis on model taking into account the variables introduced by it being a 3D print, such as layer lines?
Aaargh Zombies
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-19T07:33:06.003Z
I'm trying to use existing software (or even manually calculating the stresses in simple geommetries) by using a simplified anisotropic model of the material mechanical properties.  I've seen papers that achieve this by accurately modelling every single detail of the part (layer lines, infill...), but that causes simulations to be too slow for practical uses.

My goal is to reduce the number of prototypes required for achieving a functional part that can be used without breaking (just for my own designs, I'm not trying to write a paper or shell my designs, so accuracy is not a problem)
user24849449
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-19T07:42:55.997Z
For example, when you design a beam, a simplified method consists in determining the maximum forces that it will need to stand without failing. Then, average material properties can be obtained from property tables and the deformation and stresses can be obtained using a 1D model of the beam. As that process introduces a significant error in the obtained result, a safety coefficient is used to ensure that the elastic limit of steel isn't reached. If an anisotropic material is used, it is easier to use FEA, as long as its properties can be simplified using constant X, Y and Z values
user24849449
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-20T15:54:52.943Z
There are quite a few videos on Youtube where people try to determine this through practical means. For example by printing the same part form different materials and at different layer thicknesses and then subjecting it to various stresses. There are a lot of variables involved simply to calculate layer adhesion, such as the speed and level of part cooling used. Are you wanting to include these on top of the normal characteristics of - for example - an injection molded part?
Aaargh Zombies
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-22T13:22:56.070Z
I’m trying to recreate hand cranked tools. Although making just a model is interesting for showing how they worked, it would be great if any of them could be used. Therefore, knowing the mechanical properties of the piece can help choosing an adequate width for the gears, so they won’t break. If that isn’t possible, I could make molds using the printer and cast the pieces using resin
user24849449
<3d-design>
How to validate FDM functional parts before printing them using simulations?
user24849449
# How to validate FDM functional parts before printing them using simulations?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-09-16)

FDM printed parts are notoriously anisotropic, making them difficult to simulate using FEA tools. In other fields, like electronics, it is a common practice to handle that by simplifying models by homogenizing their properties. By doing so, the internal structure of the part is replaced by its macroscopic properties, which allows checking if it fullfills its purpose faster, as a much simpler geommetry can be analysed. An example can be found in [Litz Wire Homogenization with COMSOL and MATLAB](https://github.com/ethz-pes/litz_wire_homogenization_comsol_matlab), which uses the macroscopic properties of Litz wire for estimating its power losses without needing to model each strand.

I have been able to find some papers that use a similar approach for simulating 3D printed parts, but generally, they use empirical models that can just be used for specific printer settings.

My objective is to be able to validate functional parts before 3D printing them to reduce the amount of time used for building prototypes while tuning the design. I'm not trying to achieve precise results, as I can use a high safety factor to handle the uncertainities caused by simplifications (like the ones introduced when designing injection molded or metal parts).

How do you determine if your functional designs will be able to handle the forces that will be applied to them? Do you use any homogenization to simulate or analitically calculate the deformations and stresses that the part will suffer?

**Tags:** 3d-design
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: To be clear, are you looking to build a practical piece of software containing some kind of stress analysis, or are you writing some kind of paper describing the process of performing a stress analysis on model taking into account the variables introduced by it being a 3D print, such as layer lines?  
> **username_0**: I'm trying to use existing software (or even manually calculating the stresses in simple geommetries) by using a simplified anisotropic model of the material mechanical properties.  I've seen papers that achieve this by accurately modelling every single detail of the part (layer lines, infill...), but that causes simulations to be too slow for practical uses.  My goal is to reduce the number of prototypes required for achieving a functional part that can be used without breaking (just for my own designs, I'm not trying to write a paper or shell my designs, so accuracy is not a problem)  
> **username_0**: For example, when you design a beam, a simplified method consists in determining the maximum forces that it will need to stand without failing. Then, average material properties can be obtained from property tables and the deformation and stresses can be obtained using a 1D model of the beam. As that process introduces a significant error in the obtained result, a safety coefficient is used to ensure that the elastic limit of steel isn't reached. If an anisotropic material is used, it is easier to use FEA, as long as its properties can be simplified using constant X, Y and Z values  
> **username_1**: There are quite a few videos on Youtube where people try to determine this through practical means. For example by printing the same part form different materials and at different layer thicknesses and then subjecting it to various stresses. There are a lot of variables involved simply to calculate layer adhesion, such as the speed and level of part cooling used. Are you wanting to include these on top of the normal characteristics of - for example - an injection molded part?  
> **username_0**: I’m trying to recreate hand cranked tools. Although making just a model is interesting for showing how they worked, it would be great if any of them could be used. Therefore, knowing the mechanical properties of the piece can help choosing an adequate width for the gears, so they won’t break. If that isn’t possible, I could make molds using the printer and cast the pieces using resin  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2024-10-26. Score: 0

Luckily, some manufacturers have started providing data about the mechanical properties of their materials. For example: [Stratasys material dataset](https://www.stratasys.com/siteassets/materials/materials-catalog/fdm-materials/pla/mss_fdm_pla_0118a.pdf)

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Nice they provide such data, but those figures are based on the adhesion they managed to get in their test articles, this doesn't necessarily imply that that is applicable to your own prints.  
> **username_0**: It's far from ideal, but it can be used as a coarse approximation. Currently, it is the best I've been able to find without needing to test it myself  

---

