Roughness prediction for FDM produced surfaces

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology has many potential advantages in industrial applications as it is an established additive manufacturing technique for creating functional prototypes from three-dimensional computer aided design models. Despite of these, surface roughness has become the main issue and many attempts have been made to predict the surface roughness Ra. Predicting the surface quality will allow compliance with design specifications and is useful to determine manufacturing strategies. Surface roughness prediction models for FDM process are reviewed and their advantages are highlighted.