Abstract
Fused filament fabrication (FFF) has become the preferred method for 3D printing of thermoplastic polymer parts due to its cost-effectiveness in comparison with powder- or resin-based 3D printing methods in both machines and materials. It also holds the potential to replace injection molding for small batch production, due to significantly reduced tooling costs, lead time, and the ability to create complex structures. However, the mechanical strength of polymer parts fabricated using this method is significantly lower than those produced using injection molding; this issue is worse in printed polymer composites due to undesirable rheological behaviors of infills during the filament extrusion process. This study investigates the use of an in-process orbiting laser pre-deposition heating technique aimed to enhance the mechanical strength of carbon fiber–reinforced filament in FFF. In this work, the mechanical strength, strain, and fracture behavior are investigated. This innovative technology increases tensile strength from 17.4 to 34.9 MPa at 0.45 W laser power and increases strain from 0.028 to 0.084. Moreover, the laser-treated samples exhibit marked differences in fracture surface characteristics when compared to control samples. The adoption of this approach can provide a solution to the main barrier to the adoption of FFF 3D for engineering and industrial applications.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 6139-6146 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology |
Volume | 133 |
Issue number | 11-12 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 2024 |
Keywords
- Carbon fiber–reinforced filament
- Fused filament fabrication
- Laser heating; Reptation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Control and Systems Engineering
- Software
- Mechanical Engineering
- Computer Science Applications
- Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering