Additive Manufacturing of Continuous Fibers Reinforced Polymer Composite Materials for High Performance Structural Applications (3D-CFRP)

The ambition of the proposed research is to bring together two important aspects of lightweight design and manufacturing: fused filament fabrication based additive manufacturing, and continuous fiber reinforced polymers for structural applications. In this way, the inherent advantages of the two components of the value chain (material and manufacturing) can be combined in order to obtain competitive structural components even lower production costs, in a flexible digital environment that allows rapid design changes in accordance with the requirements of a more and more dynamic market. The project aims to address all aspects and stages of the composite 3D printed material development, starting with the compatibility between the fiber and polymer matrix constituents, manufacturing and optimization of the input filament to the 3D printer, development and optimization of the specialized 3D printer head and whole 3D printer system, process simulation, material and structural testing.