Fused deposition modelling: Effect of extrusion temperature on the accuracy of print

The purpose of this study is to assess the influence of the extrusion temperature and the height of the extruded layer on the dimensions of 3D printed parts. An artifact was designed using CAD software and parts were manufactured using an Ultimaker 2 + FDM printer with different printing parameters. The dimensions of the parts were measured to assess their dimensional accuracy. It was found that increased extrusion temperature causes increased error along the axis normal to the printing plan (z), while accuracy in the xy plane was relatively unaffected for most of the features except the cylindrical holes, where shrinkage occurred. Shrinkage also increased the separation of the outer shell from the infill. It was also found that an increase of layer thickness negatively affected the printing accuracy along the vertical axis (z) as well as the surface roughness.