Experimental testing and numerical simulations of 3D-printed PETG pins used for vehicle pedals

Abstract

In this study, experimental analyses and numerical simulations of polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) pedal pins with optimum production parameters are performed concerning mechanical properties. The aim of this study is twofold: first, the effect of the three-dimensional (3D) manufacturing process, which has a significant impact on the mechanical properties of the 3D-printed part, is realized experimentally. Second, the mechanical behavior of the 3D-printed clutch pedal pin is evaluated using both numerical simulation and experimental tests, which is an important application for lightweight vehicles. It is observed that the determined production parameters can significantly improve the mechanical behavior of the materials and the pin of the vehicle pedal mechanism can be replaced with a lighter structure. Thus, the results obtained in this paper are of the utmost importance for the manufacturer to choose the optimum manufacturing parameters of three-dimensional printed materials and their application to vehicle pedals and other possible parts.