Experimental Fatigue Studies of Additively Manufactured Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a field of study that is gaining importance due to quick manufacturing techniques while providing viable flexibility in design modifications. In comparison with conventional manufacturing methods, AM uses easier processes to manufacture intricate components. AM products maintain consistency as it is constructed by robust universal AM machines. In the present study, a continuous carbon fiber thermoplastics (CFRTP) as a replacement to aluminum alloy (Al6061-T6) material is used for additively manufacturing bicycle crank components. The results from the tensile test and fatigue behavior of the component indicate a strong dependence of percentage concentration of the reinforcement in the CFRTP. A finite element analysis is performed to ascertain the stress distribution for a static load condition as mimicked in the real world situations. To explore the brittle fracture nature of the CFRTP specimen, a SEM image depicting the microstructural nature is provided. It is imperative to note that the comparative studies indicate the light weight CFRTP crank specimen stands out to be a viable replacement to the Al 6061-T6 material.