Composite additive manufacturing: An overview of current state, limitations, and progress

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) has emerged as a crucial technology in fabricating composite materials, expanding its application in new industrial sectors. This study provides an overview of the current state, limitations, and progress made in AM of composite materials. It investigates emerging AM technologies such as cold spray technology, 4D bioprinting, and advanced composite materials such as hydrogel composites and nanocomposites. Key limitations, including the limited range of composite materials compatible with AM processes, issues related to the anisotropic mechanical properties, surface finish quality, and the scalability of manufacturing processes, still exist. Furthermore, technical challenges such as optimizing fiber orientations, material distribution, and post-processing requirements are also discussed in detail. In addressing the limitations of AM, the mitigation techniques proposed by researchers include emerging innovations such as hybrid AM, the adoption of functionalized nanoparticles, and optimizing printing parameters. Advancements in developing new composite materials tailored for AM, machine learning algorithms for optimizing process parameters, and novel AM techniques to enhance the quality and efficiency of composite parts are discussed. Integrating computational tools for real-time monitoring and control is critical to overcoming existing challenges. Moreover, innovations such as self-healing conductive polymer composite inks and multi-material printing techniques signify the AM's rapid advancement. Composite AM stands at the peak of revolutionary developments, with ongoing research focused on overcoming existing challenges and growing its suitability in various applications.