Optimizing Layer Thickness and Width for Fused Filament Fabrication of Polyvinyl Alcohol in Three-Dimensional Printing and Support Structures

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The manuscript machines-2558070 reports FDM 3D printing of PVA specimens and a series of mechanical properties analyses with varying layer thickness and width. The authors did a lot of work, and the full text is organized logically, comprehensively, and fairly well. I would recommend accepting this manuscript after minor corrections. However, the following comments are in detail for the authors to consider.

1. Please consider changing the title that represents PVA specimens as well as the PVA layer remove support structure.

2. Page 3, Experimental Work, the printing procedure is not clear. For instance, how (time and temperature) does fuse PVA? What are the materials for the remaining support structure?

3. What is the morphology after removing the PVA layer? Authors can add a morphological analysis (e.g., SEM).

 

 

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

I would appreciate it if you could please find the attached file.

Warm regards,

Mojtaba Karamimoghadam

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

The authors aimed to present the common use of Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) as a support material in 3D printing, especially for creating complex designs and overhangs. PVA, a water-soluble filament often combined with other materials like ABS or PLA, acts as a temporary framework to support protruding sections of a 3D model during printing. After printing, the main component can be easily separated by dissolving the PVA support material in water. PVA, being a soft and biodegradable polymer, sensitive to moisture, is an ideal choice for 3D printing support structures.

In their study, the authors printed equal-sized samples using an Ultimaker 3D printer to examine the strength of PVA-printed specimens. Tensile tests were conducted on each sample using a testing machine. The results revealed a maximum tensile strength of 17.515 MPa and a maximum load of 1600 N. The strength of the samples was significantly influenced by input parameters, specifically the layer thickness and width thickness. Increasing width thickness led to decreased strength, while increasing layer thickness resulted in increased strength. Some specimens with higher width thickness and lower quality exhibited inferior performance during the tensile test.

The abstract should be revised and mention the major outcomes at the end of abstract.

I understand the novelty of this paper. But, from the reader’s point of view, it is necessary to write the novelty in the last paragraph of the introduction section.

The printer used has the possibility to adjust the Width thickness parameter values. How can this be done?

In figures 3a and 3b, the "Extension" scale would have been better indicated to start from the value "0" for both graphs. This way, the graphs can be easily and accurately compared. However, what was the rationale behind having different scale values for representation?

Minor editing of English language required!

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

I would appreciate it if you could please find the attached file.

Warm regards,

Mojtaba Karamimoghadam

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

The manuscript entitled "Effect of the Layer Thickness and Width of the Layers in 3D Printing of PVA through Fused Deposition Modelling Process" investigates an essential aspect of 3D printing the impact of layer thickness and width on the mechanical strength of PVA-printed specimens. Given the increasing adoption of 3D printing and the relevance of PVA as a support material, this research has practical significance. The findings may help optimize 3D printing settings for PVA, leading to better support structures in complex prints. I recommend this paper for publication. However, there are some minor and major comments in this manuscript which help enhance the clarity and comprehensiveness of this paper. Here are my inquiries:

1.      The authors mention that the study explored various input parameters, including temperature and geometric factors, but these aspects are not elaborated in the provided abstract

2.      In the recent studies, material extrusion (MEX) printing used instead of Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). Besides, there is an important aspect of MEX that appears to be overlooked in the literature review, its significant role in recycling and recovery of thermoplastic composites. The author should also consider including relevant papers and research works that address this specific application of MEX in the revised literature review. 

[a] Recovery of Particle Reinforced Composite 3D Printing Filament from Recycled Industrial Polypropylene and Glass Fibre Waste, 2022. Proc. World Congr. Mech. Chem. Mater. Eng, 177, 3-4.

[b] Short basalt fibre reinforced recycled polypropylene filaments for 3D printing. Materials Letters, 326,2022, 132942.

3.      In introduction, what are the potential practical implications of these findings for complex 3D printing designs using PVA support structures?

4.      How did you control for potential confounding factors during the 3D printing process?

5.      The authors should specify the type of standard used for the preparation of the samples and provide a suitable reference for it.

6.      The authors should explain why the sample with 0.15 mm layer thickness and 0.6 mm width thickness exhibited a higher tensile strength than the sample with 0.2 mm layer thickness and 0.4 mm width thickness?

7.      Did you observe any deformation or warping issues in the printed specimens, especially with varying layer thickness and width?

8.      Considering PVA's susceptibility to moisture, what measures were taken to ensure a controlled printing environment during the experiments?

9.      Could you provide details about the infill pattern used in this study?

10.  In conclusion section, the authors should mention the limitations of the study and suggest possible avenues for future research in this area?

11.  The conclusion is too short. Use bullets to emphasise the main achievements of the paper in conclusion section

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

I would appreciate it if you could please find the attached file.

Warm regards,

Mojtaba Karamimoghadam

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 3 Report

Accept in present form