This research paper investigates the mechanical characterization of polylactic acid (PLA) filament with short carbon fiber (CF) reinforced composites of varying weight percentages (0, 15 and 30%) and fabricated by the fused filament fabrication (FFF) technique. The selection of optimal printing parameters is essential to achieve better mechanical characteristics. Printing temperature, printing speed and raster angle had been considered as the variable parameters. Taguchi's L9 orthogonal array was employed to design the experiments, and the mechanical properties of the composite such as tensile strength, tensile modulus and hardness were determined and considered as responses. Technique for order of preferences by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) analysis method was used to optimize the printing parameters. A confirmation test was conducted on the optimized condition. The tensile specimens were printed with optimum parametric levels. It is observed that the tensile strength of the specimens are reduced with an increase in weight percentage of carbon fiber reinforcement, whereas tensile modulus is increased with an increase in weight of carbon fiber reinforcement. Theoretical models were applied to predict the tensile modulus of the composites. Surface morphology of the printed and tensile fractured specimens were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
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