Open Access

Additive manufacturing technologies for plastics are typically used in industry for prototypes, presentation models and small batches but also additive tooling. Especially for low volumes, this manufacturing method offers a high degree of efficiency, since no special tools or fixtures are required, which leads to a significant reduction in manufacturing costs and manufacturing time. Up to now, applications have usually been made using only one material, as the use of different materials in a single printing process is a particular challenge. In this contribution, the state of the art for printing processes suitable for multi-material printing and associated application examples are first presented in a literature search. The focus of this contribution is on the fused layer modeling (FLM) process with experiments and analysis on the application of different materials (PLA, PETG, ASA and PC Blend). A 3D-printer with a single nozzle is available for the practical experiments. Due to an additional multi-material device this 3D-printer is capable of processing up to five different materials in one printing process. Colorful presentation models are the first step to gain experience in multi-material printing. The investigation will then be extended to include the combination of different materials. For this purpose, standardized plastic tensile specimens are additively manufactured and subjected to tensile testing in order to analyze material properties. The tensile specimens are manufactured in different patterns and material combinations. This results in measurements that allow a comparison with the initial materials. In addition, the challenges in the printing process, material selection and material arrangement are demonstrated. In order to develop a functional multi-material component, sufficient fusion in the bonding layer between the materials must be ensured.