Damage in 3D Printed Polymeric Structures: The Trade Off in Printing Parameters and Damage Resistance

Abstract:

Additive manufacturing (AM), particularly fused deposition modelling (FDM), enables fabricating polymeric structures with complex geometries and functional capabilities. However, the mechanical reliability of FDM components is hindered by process-induced defects and anisotropy, which complicate damage initiation and propagation mechanisms. This paper summarises the damage behaviour of FDM-printed polymers through an integrated experimental–numerical approach. Static and fatigue tests reveal that interlayer bonding quality, infill orientation, and thermal exposure significantly influence stiffness, fracture resistance, and fatigue life. Microstructural features such as void morphology and crack propagation patterns are shown to govern failure modes more than intrinsic material properties. Tribological analyses further demonstrate the sensitivity of wear performance to surface orientation and process parameters, while dynamic response studies establish vibration-based indicators for early-stage damage detection. The implementation of bioinspired self-healing capsules and surface-engineered self-cleaning layers reflects the trend towards multifunctional damage mitigation strategies. Future research directions are outlined, including the need for damage modelling considering multi-loading conditions and different printing parameters.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 1036)
• Pages: 151-164
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-sv5v1G
• Online since: December 2025
• Authors: Muhammad Khan*
• Keywords: Experimental Characterisation, Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), Printing Parameters, Thermo-Mechanical Loading

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