Compressive properties of additively manufactured materials compared to foams traditionally used for blunt force trauma protection

The aim of this study is to test currently available additive manufacturing (AM) materials against those used in personal protective clothing (PPC) in sport for blunt force trauma (BFT) protection in sport. Compression was identified as the primary mode of deflection during BFT therefore compression testing was chosen. Compressive stiffness and energy of AM polymers & rubber like materials were compared to those of traditional foam materials. This data will be used demonstrate the difference in behaviour between these materials and those used in AM during compression. Polymer and rubber like materials from three different AM processes were compared to three different foam materials in three different densities. Rubberlike materials absorbed the most energy while polymer samples absorbed very little. Some foam materials absorbed quantities of energy comparable to those absorbed by the rubber-like materials, however, they did so over a greater strain range.