Study of mechanical properties of 3d-printed silicone for cushioning applications

Lim, Elijah Rong Yao (2026) Study of mechanical properties of 3d-printed silicone for cushioning applications. Final Year Project, UTAR.

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Abstract

3D-printed silicones possess many beneficial characteristics for household applications however, there is limited research into this field. Most of the research done focuses on biomedical and industrial applications despite the growing demand for ergonomic and customised products from general consumers which may be addressed through the use of 3D-printed silicones. This study focuses on the ability to use 3D-printed silicones as a replacement for conventional cushioning materials such as memory foam, rubber latex foam, and polyurethane. 4 infill patterns which include grid, gyroid, triangle, and stars were printed each with 4 different infill percentages of 40%, 50%, 60%, and 70%. All these printed samples were subjected to compression tests to obtain parameters such as the stress-strain relationship, Young’s modulus, and SAG factor of each sample. It was found that all the samples had low Young’s modulus, high SAG factor, and desirable stress-strain relationships. These characteristics were also compared with the amount of material used to print each pattern as the required volume of silicone needed to form each geometry is different from each other. By comparing these parameters together, it was found that all these samples had characteristics that showed potential to replace cushioning materials with the gyroid pattern exhibiting the most desirable characteristic by having the highest SAG factor with an average of 6.125 across the different infill densities; smooth stress-strain relationship; lowest material usage with an average of 4730.323mm2; and moderate Young’s. Further study into this field is highly recommended as this study shows the potential for 3D-printed silicones to be an alternative to conventional cushioning materials if the manufacturing process can be optimised. Keywords: additive manufacturing; silicones; 3D-printing; physical properties; mechanical properties; cushion material;

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