Effect of FDM process parameters on the mechanical properties of CFR-PEEK

Carbon reinforced Poly-ether-ether-ketone (CFR-PEEK) is a poly-aromatic semi-crystalline thermoplastic that is widely used in the biomedical field because of its in vivo bio-compatibility and human bone-like elastic modulus. It is being used in different surgical fields such as orthopedic, facial and spinal surgeries, and is considered as an ideal material for articulating implants. Additive manufacturing is an ideal fit to create the medical implants because of its ability to print customized patient-specific products in comparatively less time and cost. One such additive manufacturing technique known as Fused Deposition Modelling has been proven to be the best alternative for fabricating CFR-PEEK samples. However, the product quality of parts manufactured by FDM technique mainly depends on the process parameters and the wide range of parameters makes it a complex process. Additionally, the FDM parameter effects vary widely for different materials. Therefore, there is a need to understand the effect of these parameters on the new and potential materials like CFR-PEEK. This study investigates the effects three crucial FDM parameters (layer thickness, orientation and printing speed) on the mechanical properties of CFR-PEEK material. Layer thickness and Orientation play an important role in tensile and compressive strength of the CFR-PEEK parts. Printing speed too has a effect on the tensile strength but has minimal to no effect on the compressive strength of CFR-PEEK. Understanding the relationship between the process parameters and part quality would help medical industry in fabricating customized or patient specific implants