Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is one of the fastest-growing additive manufacturing processes in recent years. Nevertheless, the mechanical properties cannot be matched to those of traditional manufacturing methods such as injection molding.The research presented in this report aims to demonstrate the limitations of fusion deposition models and proposes automated fiber placement (AFP) as a way to mitigate them by improving transversal tensile strength and elastic modulus.
The background and main characteristics of the stated processes, as well as the state of the art, are discussed in this paper. It is explained how both methods were integrated for a production line built specifically for the execution of this research. The key parameters are listed, along with their impact on the end part.
Mechanical parameters such as tape-to-print bonding strength, tape-to-tape bonding strength, molding unidirectional fabric tensile strength, and 3D printed part tensile strength were all compared in the experiments. The major challenges to be addressed are surface roughness, print-to-tape contact area, and heat transfer when taping, according to the results. Yet, there is still a large potential for these methods to achieve better performance.