Development of novel filament production setup of continuous fiber reinforced composite filament for additive manufacturing applications.

Additive manufacturing (AM) has transformed the production of complex parts, though high-performance composite filament development in this field is still limited. The primary objective of this study is the development of production setup of continuous fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite filament for fused deposition modeling (FDM) applications. Despite their enhanced strength-to-weight ratio and mechanical properties, integrating CFRP composites into AM presents challenges like fiber alignment, breakage, interfacial adhesion, and process optimization. This study aims to address the above-mentioned challenges by developing a robust production setup for CFRP filament tailored for FDM. The design phase of the setup included gear driven CFRP winding system, extrusion system, heating system and pulling spool system. Upon the fabrication of the setup, CFRP was produced using PLA and glass fiber and the technique preserved the integrity and continuity of the reinforcement throughout the filament. Uniaxial tensile testing was performed to assess the mechanical performance of the produced filament. The experimental results demonstrated a significant improvement in tensile strength (146.75 MPa) and Young's Modulus (4.95 GPa) at a fiber volume fraction of 2.8% for the composite filament and these values were in Line with the theoretical results. The tensile strength of the Continuous Glass Fiber-PLA showed an increase of 2.4 times while the young's modulus yielded an increase of 1.35 times in comparison to the neat polymer. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of the fractured composite samples showed sufficient polymer impregnation and strong interfacial bonding. The energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was conducted confirming the polymer impregnation uniformity. The thermal characterization by differential scanning calorimetry and Thermogravimetric analysis validated the composite filament's suitability for FDM printing. The outcomes of this study help to push forward the current advancements in AM using composite filament, paving the way for stronger, lightweight, and reliable printed structures. The insights gained are instrumental in expanding the application of composite AM in aerospace, automotive, and industrial sectors where high-performance materials are critical.