Optimisation of 3D Printing Parameters for Cost and Time Reduction

During my internship at Mat3X Engineering Services, I was assigned a major project to create a 3D-printed model using the Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) technique with Polylactic Acid (PLA) material.
The 3D model was designed in SolidWorks and exported as an .STL file to FlashPrint software for slicing and print setup.

To reduce manufacturing cost and time, I implemented several optimisation strategies, including:

• Identifying and removing unnecessary support structures.

• Performing multiple print iterations to optimise model orientation.

• Reducing the infill percentage and perimeter layers without affecting part strength or surface quality.

These improvements resulted in a 15% reduction in production cost and print time, while maintaining a reliable and high-quality 3D-printed output.