*WINNER* Thermomechanical investigation of continuous fiber reinforced additively manufactured components

Abstract

In this research, thermal and mechanical properties of continuous fiber reinforced additively manufactured (CFRAM) composite components were studied. CFRAM is a five years old technology provided by Markforged company. Nylon as a thermoplastic polymer was used as matrix and carbon fiber, Kevlar, and fiberglass were included to improve the properties. Fibers were included under controlled printing situation. Final composite has the properties in the range of conventional composites with all the benefits that 3D printing provides including low cost manufacturing, notable flexibility in design and exemption from sophisticated equipment. Studying thermomechanical properties of CFRAM is important due to their potential applications. CFRAM components can replace metals in applications such as car industry, aerospace and sport good. In this work thermal, mechanical, statistical and microscopical analysis of CFRAM components were conducted. Creep analysis was conducted at different temperatures, and the effect of fiber type and temperature on creep behavior was studied. The statistical analyses were conducted to analyze the experimental data using mathematical models. The microstructural analysis was performed to further investigate void presence, 3D printing quality, and fracture mechanisms. Stiffness measurement of CFRAM components was also conducted at different temperatures. TGA test was conducted to study thermal stability, humidity absorption, degradation behavior, and flame retardancy. Overall, this paper presents quantitative results demonstrating the capabilities of CFRAM technology. In all cases results showed fiber inclusion improves thermal and mechanical properties.