Experimental Study on the Dimension Error of Bridged Structures Printed by Fused Deposition Modeling

Fused deposition modeling, a popular additive manufacturing technology by extruding thermoplastic materials, can be used to print structural parts with complex geometries. However, when a part appears an overhanging structure, it is usually necessary to add an auxiliary support structure. The added structure not only causes material waste but also secondary damage to the printed part owing to removing the support structure in post-processing. To understand the dimension error of bridged structures without support structures, this paper experimentally investigated the effects of the bridging span, layer thickness, nozzle speed and temperature on the sagging deformation of the bridged structures. The limitation of bridging span and the sensitivities of the printing parameters were found.