Measurement of Low Temperature Strain in 3D Printed Materials

The versatility and ease of use of 3D printing provides access for custom built parts to be quickly manufactured for experimental applications. However, not much is currently known about the behavior of these materials at low temperatures. In this project we measured the thermal properties of a 3D printed material in a cryogenic environment in order to determine its suitability for use in low temperature applications. Specifically, we used a strain gauge to measure the thermal contraction of Polylactic Acid, which is a common material used in 3D printing. We will present our results and discuss the implications for its use in low temperature experiments.