Friction and wear characteristics of polylactic acid (PLA) for 3D printing under reciprocating sliding condition

Purpose This paper aims to study the different infill, printing direction against sliding direction and various load condition for the friction and wear characteristics of polylactic acid (PLA) under reciprocating sliding condition. Design/methodology/approach The tests were performed by applying the load of 1, 5, 15 and 10 N with sliding oscillation frequency of 10 Hz for the duration of 10 min at room temperature. Findings The results show that the friction and wear properties of PLA specimen change with a different infill density of printed parts. The oscillation frequency is 10 Hz and the infill density of plate is 50 per cent that shows the best friction and wear properties. Originality/value The potential of this research work is to investigate the tribological characteristics of three-dimensional printing parts with different infill percentage to provide a reference for any parts in contact with each other to improve friction and wear performance. There will be many opportunities exist for further research and the advancement of three-dimensional printing in the field of tribology.