## 4 Conclusions  
This study established the feasibility and practicality of using FDM 3D printing technology to produce cutting tools for thin aluminum sheets, particularly for prototyping and small-scale production. The research highlights the following key findings:  
Performance and design parameters:  
* PLA-based tools successfully executed multiple cuts with minimal wear and acceptable burr formation, achieving industry-standard tolerances (IT9 and IT10);
* Tools with a 45\({}^{\circ}\) orientation and a 6 mm wall thickness demonstrated superior durability and wear resistance, emphasizing the importance of print orientation and wall thickness in tool design;
* Despite PLA not being recommended for cutting applications, it proved viable for low-stress tasks involving thin sheets. Economic and time efficiency:
* Production costs were reduced by up to 90% compared to traditional machining methods. * Lead times were shortened by 50-70%, underscoring the value of FDM technology in agile and cost-sensitive applications. However, limitations were observed, particularly with the use of PLA for high-stress applications. Cutting thicker sheets (0.3 mm) posed challenges, leading to deformation and failure in some tool designs. These findings underline the necessity for further refinement in material selection and tool design. Future research will aim to address these limitations and expand the applicability of FDM technology by focusing on the following:  
* Material enhancements: integrating stronger composite materials to improve mechanical properties and performance under higher loads;
* Design optimization: leveraging advanced printing techniques and AI-driven design optimization [52; 53; 54] to enhance tool efficiency and reliability;
* Operational improvements: developing lubrication-free cutting processes to align with environmental sustainability and reduce friction-related failures. By incorporating these advancements, FDM-printed tools have the potential to transition from prototyping applications to broader industrial uses, offering an innovative, cost-effective, and transformative solution for modern manufacturing. Conceptualization, S.S., B.F.S., V.N., G.S., D.K., M.S. and S.F. ; methodology, S.S., B.F.S., V.N., G.S., D.K., M.S. and S.F. ; software, S.S., B.F.S., V.N., G.S., D.K., M.S. and S.F. ; validation, S.S., B.F.S., V.N., G.S., D.K., M.S. and S.F. ; formal analysis, S.S., B.F.S., V.N., G.S., D.K., M.S. and S.F. ; investigation, S.S., B.F.S., V.N., G.S., D.K., M.S. and S.F. ; resources, S.S., B.F.S., V.N., G.S., D.K., M.S. and S.F. ; data curation, S.S., B.F.S., V.N., G.S., D.K., M.S. and S.F. ; writing--original draft \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Model** & **Orientation** & **Wall Thickness [mm]** & **M1** & **M2** & **M3** & **M4** \\ \hline A1 & 0\({}^{\circ}\) & 2 & - & - & - & - \\ A2 & 0\({}^{\circ}\) & 4 & - & - & - & - \\ A3 & 0\({}^{\circ}\) & 6 & 0.00 & 0.00 & -0.01 & 0.01 \\ B1 & 15\({}^{\circ}\) & 2 & - & - & - & - \\ B2 & 15\({}^{\circ}\) & 4 & 0.10 & 0.12 & 0.01 & 0.02 \\ B3 & 15\({}^{\circ}\) & 6 & \(-0.02\) & \(-0.05\) & \(-0.07\) & 0.00 \\ C1 & 45\({}^{\circ}\) & 2 & - & - & - & - \\ C2 & 45\({}^{\circ}\) & 4 & 0.47 & 0.42 & 0.48 & 0.40 \\ C3 & 45\({}^{\circ}\) & 6 & 0.04 & 0.03 & 0.04 & 0.06 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 11: Edge wear following the cutting of 0.3 mm thick Al99.5 sheets in mm unit (M1–M4 points are in accordance with Figure 8). preparation, S.S., B.F.S., V.N., G.S., D.K., M.S. and S.F. ; writing--review and editing, S.S., B.F.S., V.N., G.S., D.K., M.S. and S.F. ; visualization, S.S., B.F.S., V.N., G.S., D.K., M.S. and S.F. ; supervision, S.S., B.F.S., V.N., G.S., D.K., M.S. and S.F. ; project administration, S.S., B.F.S., V.N., G.S., D.K., M.S. and S.F. ; funding acquisition, S.S., B.F.S., V.N., G.S., D.K., M.S. and S.F. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. This research received no external funding. Not applicable. All data are available within the paper.