Anisotropy on the surfaces of additive manufactured models

It is widely recognised that the surface quality achieved by additive manufacturing processes can be highly inconsistent. This variability is primarily due to the staircase effect because 3D printing is a 2.5D machining process that builds parts layer by layer. The impact of the staircase effect varies depending on the orientation of the surfaces. By measuring surface properties such as Ra and Rz, we find that these values are direction-dependent, a phenomenon known as surface anisotropy. Surface roughness has a significant effect on tribological behaviour. Where relative motion occurs, frictional properties can become direction-dependent for components in contact with others. In addition, surface roughness affects fatigue properties, so choosing manufacturing orientation is critical for parts subjected to periodic dynamic stresses.This study aims to illustrate the variation in surface roughness across different surfaces of a part manufactured by FDM. To achieve this, surface quality factors are analysed and evaluated using a self-designed model with specific parameters.