Additive Manufacturing-Based In Situ Consolidation of Continuous Carbon Fibre-Reinforced Polycarbonate

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Manufacturing Engineering
• Composite Materials

Background:

• Continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites offer anisotropic properties for efficient structural reinforcement.
• Additive manufacturing (AM) presents opportunities for advanced composite fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and investigate an AM process for in situ consolidated continuous fibre-reinforced polycarbonate.
• To analyze the impact of nozzle temperature on material structure and porosity.
• To explore the process limits using a highly curved test structure.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of continuous fibre-reinforced polycarbonate using an in situ consolidation AM process.
• Three-point bending tests on specimens produced at varying nozzle temperatures.
• Computed tomography (CT) for detailed microstructural analysis and porosity assessment.

Main Results:

• In situ consolidation was achieved, with variations in nozzle temperature affecting material structure and porosity.
• Computed tomography revealed correlations between process parameters and internal material defects.
• Fabrication of a highly curved structure highlighted limitations in fibre strand management and processability.

Conclusions:

• Additive manufacturing enables in situ consolidation of continuous fibre-reinforced polycarbonate, demonstrating potential for tailored structural applications.
• Process parameters, particularly nozzle temperature, significantly influence the composite's microstructure and porosity.
• Further development is needed to overcome challenges in fibre alignment and processability for complex geometries.