Comparative Analysis of Mechanical Properties (Hardness and Tensile  Strength) of PLA, ABS, and Carbon Fiber Materials in FDM 3D Printing  at Different Build Orientations

Author(s)	Mr. Manikandan R, Mr. Gangaleshwaran C, Mr. Vigesh R R, Mr. Manikandan K, Mr. Sibichelva S
Country	India
Abstract	This study presents a systematic comparison of tensile strength and hardness of three widely employed Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) materials — Polylactic Acid (PLA), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), and short-fibre reinforced Carbon Fiber composite (CF) — fabricated at three build orientations (0°, 45°, and 90°). Specimens conforming to ASTM D638 and ASTM D2240 standards were printed on a desktop FDM machine under controlled process parameters. Tensile tests were conducted using a universal testing machine (UTM) and hardness was measured with a Shore D durometer. Carbon Fiber composites recorded the highest tensile strength (196.3 MPa at 0°) and hardness (94.7 Shore D at 0°), outperforming PLA and ABS at all orientations. Build orientation significantly influenced both properties, with 0° specimens consistently superior. Statistical analysis confirmed p < 0.05 for all pairwise comparisons. Results are supported by tabular data and graphical representations, and implications for engineering applications are discussed.
Keywords	FDM, PLA, ABS, Carbon Fiber, Tensile Strength, Hardness, Build Orientation, Additive Manufacturing
Field	Engineering
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 2, March-April 2026
Published On	2026-04-09

About IJFMR Fees & Payment Current Issue Publication Archive	Submit Research Paper Track Submission Status Publication Guidelines Publication Ethics Peer Review & Plagiarism	Join as a Reviewer Editors & Reviewers Reviewer Referral Program Get Reviewer Membership Certi.	Website/Journal Policies Usage Policy Content Policies Privacy Policy

Contact Us		+91-9687-828-838	editor@ijfmr.com

International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research