3B1_0158_ METHODOLOGY FOR CONTINUOUS FIBRE ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING WITH IN-LINE IMPREGNATED THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITES

Abstract

This paper presents a methodology for Continuous Fibre Additive Manufacturing (CFAM) of a glass fibre filled polyamide 12 composite. The whole process, starting from impregnation of dry fibre bundles with polyamide, to deposition of the composite on the build platform is described and relevant parameters such as processing temperatures, pultrusion die diameter, deposition velocity, minimum fibre bending radius, ideal layer thickness and strand width, actual fibre volume fraction and tensile properties of the final composite were determined, calculated or estimated. A composite with a fibre volume fraction of about 40 vol% was successfully produced.