The influence of print orientation and print location on the mechanical characteristics of specimens obtained by SLS technology

SLS technology has become popular in various industries due to its ability to produce complex components with less effort than traditional methods. The study used PA 12, a commonly used material in SLS printing, to create three types of specimens that were tested for their mechanical characteristics. The specimens were designed based on ISO standards (i.e. ISO 178, ISO 527-2, ISO 604) and printed on the Fuse 1 (FormLabs, Summerville, MA) 3D printer in four batches. These batches differed according to the printing orientation (i.e. horizontal and vertical) and the printing location (i.e. in the middle and on the edge of the powder bed). The printed specimens were then tested on subjected to a standard tensile testing machine (SHIMADZU AGS-X 100kN). The study found that the specimens printed according to ISO 178 standard vertically in the middle of the powder bed had the smallest deviations in mechanical characteristics. On the other hand, the specimens printed based on ISO 604 standard had the biggest deviations. These findings suggest that the printing orientation and location on the powder bed can affect the mechanical properties of SLS-printed component