A comparison between large-format 3D printing and conventional fused filament fabrication

This paper reports the results of a comparison study between objects printed with a large-format 3D printing machine and a conventional fused filament fabrication (FFF) printer. A pellet extrusion head was developed and integrated into a cartesian 3D printing platform, obtaining a large-format 3D printing system based on the FFF technique. This integration allows to use polymerised pellets as raw material and printing with a larger stroke through bigger nozzles than conventional FFF nozzles. In addition, this integration enables printing pieces with considerably thicker layers compared with a traditional FFF process. One of the concerns addressed in this study was the mechanical performance of the objects obtained by the large-format 3D printer. Hence, a comparison of the surface’s roughness, maximal tensile stress, tensile modulus, and deformation were made between pieces printed in a large-format 3D printer and a conventional FFF printer. The results reveal that large-format 3D printing has important benefits, such as reducing the time required to print objects, improving the mechanical performance of the printed pieces, and enabling the use of composite materials in additive manufacturing. However, some drawbacks are noticed, e.g. the low resolution and poor surface finish obtained.