Jamal Muhammad Azfar, Ghafoor Usman, Shah Owaisur Rahman, Qureshi Yumna, Shah Umer Hameed
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Space Technology, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan.
Department of Operations and Supply Chain, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan.
Sci Rep. 2025 Sep 26;15(1):33227. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-18423-x.
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.
增材制造（AM）已经改变了复杂零件的生产方式，不过该领域高性能复合长丝的发展仍然有限。本研究的主要目标是开发用于熔融沉积建模（FDM）应用的连续纤维增强聚合物（CFRP）复合长丝的生产装置。尽管CFRP复合材料具有更高的强度重量比和机械性能，但将其集成到增材制造中存在纤维排列、断裂、界面粘附和工艺优化等挑战。本研究旨在通过开发一种专为FDM定制的CFRP长丝强大生产装置来应对上述挑战。该装置的设计阶段包括齿轮驱动的CFRP缠绕系统、挤出系统、加热系统和牵引卷轴系统。装置制造完成后，使用聚乳酸（PLA）和玻璃纤维生产了CFRP，该技术在整个长丝中保留了增强材料的完整性和连续性。进行了单轴拉伸试验以评估所生产长丝的机械性能。实验结果表明，在复合长丝纤维体积分数为2.8%时，拉伸强度（146.75MPa）和杨氏模量（4.95GPa）有显著提高，这些值与理论结果一致。与纯聚合物相比，连续玻璃纤维 - PLA的拉伸强度提高了2.4倍，杨氏模量提高了1.35倍。对断裂的复合样品进行扫描电子显微镜分析，结果显示聚合物充分浸渍且界面结合牢固。进行了能量色散X射线光谱分析，证实了聚合物浸渍的均匀性。通过差示扫描量热法和热重分析进行的热表征验证了复合长丝适用于FDM打印。本研究的成果有助于推动当前使用复合长丝的增材制造技术进步，为更强、更轻且可靠的打印结构铺平道路。所获得的见解有助于扩大复合增材制造在航空航天、汽车和工业领域的应用，在这些领域高性能材料至关重要。
