Optimization of 3D Printing Process Parameters for Improving the Mechanical Behavior of Honeycomb-Core Sandwich Panels

The emergence of additive manufacturing has enabled the production of complex functional objects, including biomimetic structures, to be produced more easily. The purpose of this study is to enhance the mechanical behavior of honeycomb-core sandwich panels, produced using the FFF process, by optimizing the level setting of printing parameters, and to evaluate the significant impact of the printing parameters. To determine the optimal parameter level and assess the significant impact of the parameters, the Taguchi method and ANOVA were utilized. The findings indicated that the optimal values of the parameters for either compressive strength or bending strength were 230°C nozzle temperature, 0.1 mm layer height, 20 mm/s print speed, and 40°C platform temperature. Statistically, all the printing parameters used have significant impact on the flexural strength of the honeycomb-core sandwich panels, while only platform temperature has an insignificant effect on the compressive strength. Finally, the highest compressive and flexural strength attained are 1.88 MPa and 9.4 MPa, respectively. This finding in general had higher values of mechanical properties of the honeycomb-core sandwich panel compared to the previous studies which utilized similar dimensional specifications and specimen sizes.