3D printing of curved continuous fibre filaments using fused deposition modelling

Fused deposition modelling (FDM) is a 3D printing technique capable of fabricating intricately shaped composites through the deposition of continuous fibre filaments. This study investigates the limitations of 3D printing curved filaments using FDM. Polyamide matrix filaments containing continuous c...

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Main Authors: Yiwei Hu, Adrian P. Mouritz, Raj B. Ladani, Yazhi Li, Shaoyu Zhao, Huanxin Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-04-01
Series:Materials & Design
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525001820
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author Yiwei Hu
Adrian P. Mouritz
Raj B. Ladani
Yazhi Li
Shaoyu Zhao
Huanxin Zhang
author_facet Yiwei Hu
Adrian P. Mouritz
Raj B. Ladani
Yazhi Li
Shaoyu Zhao
Huanxin Zhang
author_sort Yiwei Hu
collection DOAJ
description Fused deposition modelling (FDM) is a 3D printing technique capable of fabricating intricately shaped composites through the deposition of continuous fibre filaments. This study investigates the limitations of 3D printing curved filaments using FDM. Polyamide matrix filaments containing continuous carbon, glass, or aramid fibres were 3D printed into curved profiles with different radii as low as 1 mm. A detailed microstructural and mechanical analysis was conducted to assess the damage incurred during curved printing. The deposition mechanism of the FDM process was found to lack high dimensional accuracy when 3D printing continuous fibre filaments in tight curvatures. Issues including filament peeling and twisting resulted in printing error of up to 60 % in the curvature radius, depending on the fibre types. The filaments experienced fibre damage, matrix tearing, and shape distortion during the curved printing process, which subsequently reduced the tensile properties of the printed composites. The average filament strengths were found to be only 30 %, 41 % and 64 % compared to that of the straight printed filament for carbon, glass, and aramid fibre filaments, respectively, when the radius was below 5 mm. These findings provide foundations for identifying optimal FDM printing conditions to produce defect-free composite with complex structures.
format Article
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issn 0264-1275
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Materials & Design
spelling doaj-art-912432a396b6420fa3bd3c62e32f30552025-08-20T02:50:56ZengElsevierMaterials & Design0264-12752025-04-0125211376210.1016/j.matdes.2025.1137623D printing of curved continuous fibre filaments using fused deposition modellingYiwei Hu0Adrian P. Mouritz1Raj B. Ladani2Yazhi Li3Shaoyu Zhao4Huanxin Zhang5Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China; School of Engineering, RMIT University, 124 LaTrobe Street, Melbourne, Australia; Corresponding author.School of Engineering, RMIT University, 124 LaTrobe Street, Melbourne, AustraliaSchool of Engineering, RMIT University, 124 LaTrobe Street, Melbourne, AustraliaSchool of Aeronautics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, ChinaSchool of Engineering, RMIT University, 124 LaTrobe Street, Melbourne, AustraliaSchool of Engineering, RMIT University, 124 LaTrobe Street, Melbourne, AustraliaFused deposition modelling (FDM) is a 3D printing technique capable of fabricating intricately shaped composites through the deposition of continuous fibre filaments. This study investigates the limitations of 3D printing curved filaments using FDM. Polyamide matrix filaments containing continuous carbon, glass, or aramid fibres were 3D printed into curved profiles with different radii as low as 1 mm. A detailed microstructural and mechanical analysis was conducted to assess the damage incurred during curved printing. The deposition mechanism of the FDM process was found to lack high dimensional accuracy when 3D printing continuous fibre filaments in tight curvatures. Issues including filament peeling and twisting resulted in printing error of up to 60 % in the curvature radius, depending on the fibre types. The filaments experienced fibre damage, matrix tearing, and shape distortion during the curved printing process, which subsequently reduced the tensile properties of the printed composites. The average filament strengths were found to be only 30 %, 41 % and 64 % compared to that of the straight printed filament for carbon, glass, and aramid fibre filaments, respectively, when the radius was below 5 mm. These findings provide foundations for identifying optimal FDM printing conditions to produce defect-free composite with complex structures.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525001820Polymer matrix compositesMechanical propertiesAdditive manufacturingFilaments
spellingShingle Yiwei Hu
Adrian P. Mouritz
Raj B. Ladani
Yazhi Li
Shaoyu Zhao
Huanxin Zhang
3D printing of curved continuous fibre filaments using fused deposition modelling
Materials & Design
Polymer matrix composites
Mechanical properties
Additive manufacturing
Filaments
title 3D printing of curved continuous fibre filaments using fused deposition modelling
title_full 3D printing of curved continuous fibre filaments using fused deposition modelling
title_fullStr 3D printing of curved continuous fibre filaments using fused deposition modelling
title_full_unstemmed 3D printing of curved continuous fibre filaments using fused deposition modelling
title_short 3D printing of curved continuous fibre filaments using fused deposition modelling
title_sort 3d printing of curved continuous fibre filaments using fused deposition modelling
topic Polymer matrix composites
Mechanical properties
Additive manufacturing
Filaments
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525001820
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