Effect of Fused Deposition Modeling Printing Parameters on the Accuracy of Virtual Drape Using 3D Printed Textiles

This study evaluates virtual drape simulation reliability for Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printed textiles by systematically comparing physical measurements with digital simulations. We analyzed the effects of key production parameters (layer height, layer number, and infill density) on drape coefficient prediction accuracy across 60 measurements from 15 primary physically printed samples. Results showed virtual simulations consistently overestimated drape coefficients by an average of 13.53% points (18.20% relative error) compared to physical measurements (paired t-test: t(14) = 8.50, p <0.001), with discrepancies increasing significantly for samples with 0.15 mm layer heights (16.15% error) versus 0.20 mm (11.29% error). Statistical analysis identified layer number as the most significant parameter affecting both physical and virtual drape behavior (F(2,12) = 125.47, p <0.001), followed by subsequent layer height and infill density. The findings provide specific guidelines for the 3D printing community: designers should prioritize 0.20 mm layer heights with one or two layers to achieve simulation accuracy within 10–12%, while our calibration model reduces prediction errors by 35.3%. This research enables more reliable virtual prototyping of 3D printed textiles, reducing physical sampling requirements significantly and accelerating the integration of these innovative materials into sustainable digital design workflows.