<p>I need to build me a small support wall 250x80 cm mounted on two metal supports approximately 200 cm apart.</p>
<p>I was looking into WPC (Wood Plastic Composite) boards and then it hit me that I may be able to make it functional AND pretty with my 3D printer (Prusa MK3S + MMU2).</p>
<p>However, I have zero idea on how to calculate whether the board will be able to handle the weight of the soil I would shovel behind it, if at all.</p>
<p>My current design proposal is to make a hexagon mesh of PETG filament. The hexagons would have cylinder cutouts in all three directions, through which I would then hammer in cylinders to bind them together. Perhaps even some edge contours so that they fit perfectly.</p>
<p>But, my problem is that I don't know how to calculate the strength of such a solution (or any other).</p>
<p>Is this even a viable idea?</p>
<p>The filament type needs a bit more explanation:
My current proposal is PETG since I read that PLA will become brittle with time (as I can attest to myself having to replace my flag pole holder every 3 - 4 years)</p>
<p>I don't want ABS since I have horrible experience printing it.</p>
<p>I did not find anything of particular use when searching for &quot;3D print load-bearing&quot; on this site and similar with Google searches...</p>

[{'answer_id': 20038, 'author': 'Kilisi', 'author_id': 31811, 'author_profile': 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/31811', 'pm_score': 2, 'selected': False, 'text': "<p>Calculations such as you want are not possible in my opinion except in such general terms as to be useless. Differences in layer height, layer adhesion, print quality and what heat you printed the item would all affect the physical properties.</p>\n<p>Since it's not a manufactured item with known properties but a unique one. You would have to print and test it yourself.</p>\n"}, {'answer_id': 20039, 'author': 'Ray Butterworth', 'author_id': 35385, 'author_profile': 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/35385', 'pm_score': 4, 'selected': True, 'text': "<p>You could print a decorative layer that attaches to the WPC board.</p>\n<p>It would be faster and cheaper, and there'd be no doubt about its strength.</p>\n"}, {'answer_id': 20044, 'author': 'user10489', 'author_id': 28397, 'author_profile': 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/28397', 'pm_score': 1, 'selected': False, 'text': '<p>Here are some general issues with load bearing 3d prints for this type of usage:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>If this is to be used outside, plastic has issues with both water and UV exposure making it brittle.  PETG does better on both of these areas than either PLA or ABS.</li>\n<li>Plastic generally does better with compression than with shear or pulling.  In other words, hanging something from plastic might not work well but it might work as a bottom support or in a situation where it is squeezed rather than pulled.</li>\n<li>Even if the plastic appears strong enough initially, it may &quot;creep&quot; where the plastic deforms under stress over time.  This applies to all three of compression, shear, and pulling.</li>\n<li>To optimize for strength, print direction is critical.  You want to make sure that the stress will not be trying to shear print layers.  Also (for any material, not just 3d printed plastic), curved shapes are stronger than square corners.  A fillet instead of a corner makes a big difference, but more extreme curves are even better.</li>\n<li>If you are going to make this out of modular pieces joined with a second material, it is very hard to characterize the strength of the resulting composite, but generally it is stronger than using a single material.</li>\n</ul>\n'}]
['https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/20037', 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com', 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/35608/']