Performance Enhancement of Lightweight PLA Parts Printed by FFF Using Taguchi-GRA Method

Abstract

Lightweight PLA (LW-PLA) filaments enable material-saving designs in fused filament fabrication (FFF), yet optimizing their mechanical performance remains challenging due to temperature-sensitive foaming behavior. This study aims to enhance the structural strength and material efficiency of LW-PLA parts using a multi-objective statistical approach. Four key process parameters-infill density (Id), material flow rate (Mf), wall line count (Wlc), and infill pattern (Ip)-were systematically varied using a Taguchi L16 orthogonal array. Tensile strength (Ts), flexural strength (Fs), and material consumption (Mc) were selected as the critical response metrics. Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) was used to aggregate these responses into a single performance index, and ANOVA determined each factor's contribution. The optimal combination of 60% infill density, 70% material flow, 4 wall lines, and line infill pattern yielded a 9.02% improvement in the overall performance index compared to the baseline, with corresponding Ts and Fs values of 13.58 MPa and 20.51 MPa. Mf and Wlc were the most influential parameters on mechanical behavior, while Id mainly affected Mc. These findings confirm that integrating Taguchi and GRA enables effective parameter tuning for LW-PLA, balancing strength and efficiency. This work contributes to the development of lightweight, high-performance parts suitable for functional applications such as UAVs and prototyping.