Abstract
Additive Manufacturing (AM) is gaining enormous attention from academic and industrial sectors for product development using different materials. Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) is a popular AM method that works with thermoplastics. This process offers benefits of customisation both in terms of hardware and software in the case of desktop-based FDM systems. Enhancement of mechanical properties for the traditional thermoplastic material is a widely researched area and various materials have been added to achieve this goal. This paper focuses on the manufacture of glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) composites using Hybrid Fused Deposition Modelling (HFDM). Commonly available polylactic acid or polylactide (PLA) material was inter-laced with 0.03 mm thick glass fiber sheets to manufacture GFRP products followed by tensile testing. This was done to investigate whether adding more layers increases the tensile strength of the GFRP products or not. Furthermore, the maximum number of glass fiber layers that can be added to the 4 mm thick specimen was also identified. This was done to demonstrate that there is an optimal number of glass fiber layers that can be added as after this optimal number, the tensile strength start to deteriorate. Microstructural analysis was undertaken after tensile testing followed by ultrasonic testing to assess the uniformity of the GFRP composites.
Highlights
Composites have taken a large portion of the manufacturing market due to their properties, most notably, their high strength to weight ratio
Commonly available PLA material was reinforced with 0.03 mm thick glass fiber layers to manufacture glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) composites using Hybrid Fused Deposition Modelling (HFDM)
Experimental investigation was conducted to assess whether adding more glass fiber layers could yield higher tensile strength using standardised tensile testing
Summary
Composites have taken a large portion of the manufacturing market due to their properties, most notably, their high strength to weight ratio This is further augmented by the possibility of tailoring the mechanical properties by modifying the process parameters. PLA is a bio-degradable material derived from renewable resources such as corn starch or sugarcane It is one of the most popular bioplastics, used for many applications ranging from plastic cups to medical implants. ABS is quite popular in the injection molding arena and its applications range from LEGO toys and electronic housings to bumper parts for automobile use For these thermoplastics, a high strength to weight ratio is a major aspect as it allows applications in various industrial sectors, e.g., aerospace, automotive and medical. FDM, being an AM method, offers benefits of design freedom, reduced costs and lead times etc., which further improves its applicability for engineering applications
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