3D-Printed Reinforcers for Shelves in Panel Furniture Fabricated from Polyamide Filament

Abstract

To address the issue of bending deformation in panel furniture shelves under prolonged loading, this study developed a 3D-printed shelf reinforcer using polyamide 6 (PA6) filament via fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology. Initially, the bending performance of PA6 models was analysed under varying process parameters (infill structure, infill thickness, and extrusion flow rate) using the three-point bending method. Subsequently, the reinforcer was custom designed and 3D-printed according to the target shelf’s actual dimensions. Experimental results indicated that, among the three infill structures, the honeycomb infill structure exhibited the best bending performance, followed by the grid infill structure, and the line infill structure performed the worst. As infill thickness and extrusion flow rate increased, the bending performance of PA6 models progressively improved. The shelf reinforcer, 3D-printed with a honeycomb infill structure, 1.2 mm infill thickness, and 12 mm³/s extrusion flow rate, exhibited superior surface quality and achieved a tight fit with the shelf. This reinforcer effectively enhanced the shelf's bending performance and load-bearing capacity, extending the furniture's service life and providing practical reference for the rapid development of similar household items.