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TECHNOLOGY 41
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and production time. efficiency (3,903 N·mm/g) while providing sufficient mechanical
Consider the specific application: for lighter-duty applications performance for many furniture applications.
where weight and material cost are critical, 3P20 is optimal; for This configuration is recommended where material cost
demanding applications where maximum stiffness is required, and production time are the primary concerns.
3P30 is the better choice. Increasing infill density to 40 percent or perimeter count to
Avoid 5 perimeter walls and 40 percent infill unless there 5P increases material consumption and printing time without

are other design constraints such as aesthetic requirements proportional mechanical benefits.
for solid-looking parts. Focus design optimisation on critical These configurations should generally be avoided for
geometric regions such as the connector neck, where stress dovetail connectors of this type.
concentrations occur—not on the infill. FEM analysis confirmed the experimental findings:
The study also demonstrates that a homogenised shell-core configuration 3P30 provided the most balanced contact
FEM model, despite its simplifications, can be a useful design behaviour with highest contact pressure and frictional stress.
tool for comparing connector configurations and identifying Increasing infill density beyond 30 percent reduced sliding
critical stress regions. but did not improve global mechanical response. Critical
The model successfully captured the experimental trend failure regions are the connector neck (where cross-section

and provided insights into contact behaviour and load transfer changes) for the polymer part, and the wood slot walls under
mechanisms. For furniture manufacturers without extensive shear loading.
testing facilities, such FEM models could support design Design optimisation should focus on these regions rather
optimisation before physical prototyping. than on increasing infill density.
From a practical perspective, appropriate selection of
Conclusions perimeter count and infill density can significantly reduce polymer
This study investigated the effect of perimeter count and material consumption and printing time while maintaining the

cubic infill density on the mechanical behaviour and material mechanical function of wooden furniture joints.
efficiency of FDM-printed dovetail connectors for wooden This contributes to more resource-efficient and sustainable
corner joints. The following conclusions can be drawn. furniture manufacturing.
Perimeter count significantly affects maximum bending The study demonstrates that material-efficient design of
moment, while infill density (20–40 percent) does not. The 3D-printed furniture connectors is achievable through targeted
outer shell of the connector carries the majority of the load, optimisation of printing parameters, without compromising
and increasing infill density provides no proportional strength mechanical performance.
improvement. The findings provide clear, actionable guidelines for
Configuration 3P30 (three perimeter walls, 30 percent furniture designers and manufacturers seeking to adopt

infill) achieved the highest rotational stiffness (6,172 N·mm/ additive manufacturing in a cost-effective and environmentally
deg) and one of the highest bending moments (14,998 N·mm) responsible manner.
with moderate material consumption (3.98 g) and printing Future research should investigate long-term performance
time (469 seconds). under varying environmental conditions and cyclic loading to
This configuration is recommended for applications requiring further validate these recommendations for real-world furniture
maximum mechanical performance. Configuration 3P20 (three applications. FDM
perimeter walls, 20 percent infill) achieved the highest material ENQUIRY NO. 4201