Effect of wood veneer lamination on the bending performance of 3D printed wood-filled PLA composites
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22320/s0718221x/2026.26Keywords:
Additive manufacturing, Wood-filled PLA, Wood veneer lamination, Hybrid composites, Bio-based composite, Flexural behaviorAbstract
The integration of additive manufacturing and wood-based reinforcement systems has created new opportunities for the development of sustainable hybrid composite materials. This study investigated the effects of wood veneer lamination on the bending behavior of 3D-printed wood-filled PLA composites produced with different infill ratios. Specimens were manufactured using fused filament fabrication (FFF) with 50 % and 100 % infill configurations and subsequently laminated with 0,5 mm thick pine and oak veneers on both surfaces. For comparative evaluation, medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and particleboard specimens were also included in the study. A total of 120 specimens were subjected to three-point bending tests in order to determine bending strength and modulus of elasticity (MOE) values. In addition, representative load–extension behavior, fracture characteristics, and qualitative finite element method (FEM) observations were evaluated. The experimental results demonstrated that veneer lamination affected the mechanical performance of the tested materials differently depending on substrate structure and internal continuity characteristics. The highest bending strength values were obtained from the uncoated specimens printed at 100 % infill. In these groups, veneer lamination increased stiffness behavior but did not improve ultimate bending strength. In contrast, veneer application significantly improved both bending strength and stiffness performance in particleboard specimens and moderately enhanced the performance of MDF specimens. Fracture observations indicated that veneer lamination altered crack propagation behavior and interfacial response during bending, particularly in the laminated 3D-printed groups. Qualitative FEM observations supported the experimental findings by showing reduced displacement behavior and localized stress regions in veneer-laminated specimens, although the numerical simulations were interpreted qualitatively due to simplified modeling assumptions. These findings provide new insight into the reinforcing effect of wood veneer lamination on 3D-printed wood-filled PLA composites and demonstrate its potential as an effective strategy for improving the flexural performance of bio-based additively manufactured structures. The study contributes to the development of sustainable hybrid wood-polymer composites by clarifying the relationship between veneer reinforcement, infill density, and bending behavior.
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