From the course: Design for Additive Manufacturing: FDM

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Planning for strength and flexibility

Planning for strength and flexibility - Fusion 360 Tutorial

From the course: Design for Additive Manufacturing: FDM

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Planning for strength and flexibility

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- [Instructor] Let's explore ways to create strength or flexibility in your 3D prints. First let's talk about material choice. Different thermoplastics have different properties. For functional prototypes and end-use parts, Nylon, CPE, PC, and ABS are common choices. PLA, while a favorite for mid-range 3D printers, has a low melting point so it's not the best choice for end-use parts. For flexibility, Nylon and flexible filaments like TPU are great choices. Aside from material choice, let's explore some ways to build strength or flexibility into the design of your part. Some basic rules of thumb. Thick walls are stronger than thin walls. More shells are stronger than less shells. Denser infill is stronger than less infill. And finally, orientation matters. Let's look at an example. So this an example of a common snap-fit design. As the part presses in, the fins need to flex. And if printed horizontally, those pins will flex. But printed vertically, the part is susceptible to breakage…

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