Effect of 3D-printed PLA structure on sound reflection properties

3D printing technique is currently one of the promising emerging technologies. It is used in many areas of human activity, including acoustic applications. This paper focuses on studying the sound reflection behavior of four different types of 3D-printed open-porous polylactic acid (PLA) material structures, namely cartesian, octagonal, rhomboid and starlit structures. Sound reflection properties were evaluated by means of the normal incidence sound reflection coefficient based on the transfer function method using an acoustic impedance tube. In this study, various factors affecting the sound reflection performance of the investigated PLA samples were evaluated. It can be concluded that the sound reflection behavior of the tested PLA specimens was strongly affected by different factors. It was influenced, not only by the type of 3D-printed open-porous material structure, but also by the excitation frequency, the total volume porosity, the specimen thickness, and the air gap size behind the tested specimen inside the acoustic impedance tube.CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/0000867; Ministerstvo školstva, vedy, výskumu a športu Slovenskej republiky: APVV-19-0550; Kultúrna a Edukacná Grantová Agentúra MŠVVaŠ SR, KEGA: 005TUKE-4/2021Ministry of Education, Science, Research, and Sport of the Slovak Republic [APVV-19-0550, KEGA 005TUKE-4/2021]; European Regional Development Fund in the Research Centre of Advanced Mechatronic Systems [CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/0000867]; Operational Programme Research, Development and Educatio