Fracture and Structural Integrity e-ISSN 1971-8993 Open access
Integrity of materials and structures Vol. 20, No. 76 (2026)

Experimental calibration of a virtual raster section for high-accuracy FDM simulation in Abaqus

Author and affiliation details
  • Taoufik Hachimi Corresponding author Advanced Materials for Energy Transition (MATE), ENS Meknes, Moulay Ismail University, Morocco; Laboratory of Nuclear, Atomic, Molecular, Mechanical and Energetic Physics, University Chouaib Doukkali, El Jadida, Morocco ORCID iD0000-0002-3567-8511 hachtaoufik@gmail.com
  • Fouad Ait Hmazi Laboratory of Nuclear, Atomic, Molecular, Mechanical and Energetic Physics, University Chouaib Doukkali, El Jadida, Morocco
  • Fatima Ezzahra Arhouni Laboratory of Nuclear, Atomic, Molecular, Mechanical and Energetic Physics, University Chouaib Doukkali, El Jadida, Morocco
  • Hajar Rejdali Laboratory of Engineering Sciences for Energy, University Chouaib Doukkali, El Jadida, Morocco
  • Yahya Riyad Laboratory of Engineering Sciences for Energy, University Chouaib Doukkali, El Jadida, Morocco
  • Fatima Majid Laboratory of Nuclear, Atomic, Molecular, Mechanical and Energetic Physics, University Chouaib Doukkali, El Jadida, Morocco
DOI
10.3221/IGF-ESIS.76.03
Pages
31-48
Published
Licence
CC BY 4.0
Published inVol. 20, No. 76 (2026)Go to the issue

Abstract

This study presents an experimentally calibrated methodology to enhance the predictive accuracy of finite element simulations for Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) parts in Abaqus by replacing idealized filament geometry with a physically accurate “corrected virtual raster section.” A Box-Behnken Design of Experiments (DoE) across 27 ABS specimens systematically quantifies how key printing parameters, layer thickness, raster width, extrusion temperature, and print speed, influence the true cross-sectional geometry of deposited filaments, as measured via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). These data inform a predictive mathematical model that transforms the conventional circular filament shape into an experimentally grounded oval-rectangular profile, accurately capturing extrusion-induced flattening and lateral spreading. The calibrated virtual section is integrated into a custom Python-based tool that parses G-code toolpaths and sweeps the corrected geometry along deposition trajectories to generate high-fidelity, mesh-ready Abaqus models. The workflow is validated through tensile testing of ASTM D638 specimens printed at 0°, 45°, and 90° raster orientations (n=3 per orientation). Error analysis against the experimental mean demonstrates that the corrected model reduces simulation errors from catastrophic levels in the non-corrected approach (7–92% relative error, 2.5–19 MPa absolute) to engineering-grade precision (0.03–7% relative error, ≤1.3 MPa absolute). This workflow bridges G-code to physical behavior, enabling reliable simulation of FDM anisotropy.

Keywords

Article history

  1. ReceivedUntil the next stage: 69 days
  2. RevisedUntil the next stage: 23 days
  3. AcceptedUntil the next stage: 12 days
  4. Published

How to cite

APA

Hachimi, T., Ait Hmazi, F., Arhouni, F. E., Rejdali, H., Riyad, Y., & Majid, F. (2026). Experimental calibration of a virtual raster section for high-accuracy FDM simulation in Abaqus. Fracture and Structural Integrity, 20(76), 31–48. https://doi.org/10.3221/IGF-ESIS.76.03

IEEE

T. Hachimi, F. Ait Hmazi, F. E. Arhouni, H. Rejdali, Y. Riyad, and F. Majid, “Experimental calibration of a virtual raster section for high-accuracy FDM simulation in Abaqus,” Fracture and Structural Integrity, vol. 20, no. 76, pp. 31–48, 2026, doi: 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.76.03.

MLA

Hachimi, Taoufik, et al. “Experimental calibration of a virtual raster section for high-accuracy FDM simulation in Abaqus.” Fracture and Structural Integrity, vol. 20, no. 76, 2026, pp. 31–48. https://doi.org/10.3221/IGF-ESIS.76.03.

Chicago

Hachimi, Taoufik, Fouad Ait Hmazi, Fatima Ezzahra Arhouni, Hajar Rejdali, Yahya Riyad, and Fatima Majid. 2026. “Experimental calibration of a virtual raster section for high-accuracy FDM simulation in Abaqus.” Fracture and Structural Integrity 20 (76): 31–48. https://doi.org/10.3221/IGF-ESIS.76.03.

Harvard

Hachimi, T., Ait Hmazi, F., Arhouni, F.E., Rejdali, H., Riyad, Y. and Majid, F. (2026) ‘Experimental calibration of a virtual raster section for high-accuracy FDM simulation in Abaqus’, Fracture and Structural Integrity, 20(76), pp. 31–48. doi: 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.76.03.

Vancouver

Hachimi T, Ait Hmazi F, Arhouni FE, Rejdali H, Riyad Y, Majid F. Experimental calibration of a virtual raster section for high-accuracy FDM simulation in Abaqus. Fracture and Structural Integrity. 2026;20(76):31-48. doi:10.3221/IGF-ESIS.76.03

BibTeX

@article{hachimi2026, author = {Hachimi, Taoufik and Ait Hmazi, Fouad and Arhouni, Fatima Ezzahra and Rejdali, Hajar and Riyad, Yahya and Majid, Fatima}, title = {Experimental calibration of a virtual raster section for high-accuracy FDM simulation in Abaqus}, journal = {Fracture and Structural Integrity}, year = {2026}, volume = {20}, number = {76}, pages = {31--48}, doi = {10.3221/IGF-ESIS.76.03}, url = {https://doi.org/10.3221/IGF-ESIS.76.03}, issn = {1971-8993} }

RIS

TY - JOUR AU - Hachimi, Taoufik AU - Ait Hmazi, Fouad AU - Arhouni, Fatima Ezzahra AU - Rejdali, Hajar AU - Riyad, Yahya AU - Majid, Fatima TI - Experimental calibration of a virtual raster section for high-accuracy FDM simulation in Abaqus JO - Fracture and Structural Integrity T2 - Fracture and Structural Integrity PY - 2026 DA - 2026/01/02 VL - 20 IS - 76 SP - 31 EP - 48 DO - 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.76.03 UR - https://doi.org/10.3221/IGF-ESIS.76.03 SN - 1971-8993 ER -

Licence

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

May be shared and adapted, provided appropriate credit is given. Copyright © 2026 Taoufik Hachimi, Fouad Ait Hmazi, Fatima Ezzahra Arhouni, Hajar Rejdali, Yahya Riyad, Fatima Majid.

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