Investigation of tribological properties of industrial products with different patterns produced by 3D printing using polylactic acid

Purpose With the development of technology, the production of industrial products with 3D (3-Dimensional) printing has become widespread. Variables in production methods affect the durability of products. For this reason, studies to increase the durability of products are gaining importance. This paper aims to examine the tribological behavior of products produced in different patterns using 3D printing methods. Design/methodology/approach Friction wear tests of polylactic acid (PLA) samples produced in different patterns were carried out on a pin-on disc testing device. Friction wear tests were performed according to ASTM G-99 standard. Friction coefficient, weight loss and wear surface images were evaluated. Findings According to the results obtained, it was determined that pattern differences affected the tribological properties of the samples. The lowest coefficient of friction was observed in PLA1, while the highest wear resistance was found in PLA3. Originality/value Studies on the tribological properties of samples produced with a 3D printer are limited. In this study, the effect of samples with a 50% filling rate and different patterns on tribological properties was investigated. It was desired to determine the effect of different patterns on wear characteristics.