Sensitivity on 3D-Printed Parameters of Stiffness and Young's Modulus of FDM-Printed PLA, Stonefil Granite, and Woodfill Filaments: a Comparative Analysis

This study extends previous research on the mechanical properties of FDM-printed PLA parts by analyzing StoneFilTM Granite (SFG) (PLA with 50% stone powder) and WoodFill (WF) (PLA with 30% wooden fibers). The aim is to compare how printing parameters influence the mechanical characteristics of these materials versus conventional PLA, providing insights for biomechanical applications. Understanding these effects is crucial for optimizing 3D-printed devices’ performance. A total of 36 parameter combinations, defined by a previous literature review, were used to print test specimens of the selected materials. Tensile, compression and bending tests were followed by ISO 5893:2019 standards to calculate stiffness and elastic modulus. Significant variations in the mechanical properties of SFG and WF were observed based on different printing parameters, consistent with previous PLA findings [Mencarelli M, Sisella M, Puggelli L, Innocenti B and Volpe Y, Sensitivity analysis of 3D printing parameters on mechanical properties of fused deposition modeling-printed polylactic acid parts, Appl Mech 6(1):17, 2025]. Analysis showed that infill pattern, density, orientation and the number of outer shells had variable effects on mechanical performance across all materials. Trends in the influence of manufacturing parameters on mechanical properties were consistent across the materials. This suggests that these trends can apply to other PLA-based composite filaments, enhancing understanding and optimization of 3D-printing processes with new composite filaments for applications requiring precise control over mechanical characteristics.