Five-axis printing of continuous fibers on the mold
Publication date
2025-01-09
Document type
Forschungsartikel
Author
Organisational unit
Publisher
MDPI
Series or journal
Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing
ISSN
Periodical volume
9
Periodical issue
1
Article ID
17
Peer-reviewed
✅
Part of the university bibliography
✅
Language
English
Abstract
This paper explores a five-axis printing method designed to improve the fabrication of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFRTPCs), essential for producing lightweight, complex structures in advanced manufacturing. Traditional CFRTPC placement techniques often face challenges with precision, scalability, and optimal fiber orientation, especially in customized, small-scale applications. The proposed five-axis printing technique overcomes these issues by enabling precise fiber orientation and the production of robust spatial structures using 3D-printed molds compatible with CFRTPCs. Validation through three-point bending and surface quality tests revealed that five-axis printed cylindrical-lattice samples, with fibers oriented at 45°, exhibited superior mechanical properties and surface quality. The five-axis printed samples achieved a load-to-weight ratio 27% higher than traditional samples and maintained their shape even under significant deformation. Surface quality improved significantly, with roughness values reduced from 37.63 µm to approximately 12 µm. This method advances CFRTPC applications in industries requiring complex, lightweight components.
Description
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Version
Published version
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