Enhanced Mechanical Performance of Resin-Infused 3D-Printed Polymer Lattices

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Fused deposition modelling (FDM) offers flexible and cost-effective polymer component manufacturing.
• FDM part properties are influenced by processing parameters and internal geometry.
• Composite materials, including fiber reinforcements and resin modifications, enhance FDM product performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and characterize FDM composites using PETG and PETG carbon filaments impregnated with F8 polyurethane resin.
• To evaluate the mechanical properties and identify failure mechanisms of these novel composites.
• To validate numerical simulations using the Johnson-Cook model for predicting material behavior.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of FDM components using PETG and PETG carbon filaments.
• Impregnation of FDM parts with F8 polyurethane resin.
• Static compression testing and numerical analysis with the Johnson-Cook model.

Main Results:

• Unfilled FDM structures exhibited low maximum stress (approx. 2.5-3 MPa) due to voids and delamination planes.
• Polyurethane resin impregnation significantly enhanced mechanical properties by bonding layers and filling pores.
• Numerical simulations accurately predicted critical stress concentrations in the composite structures.

Conclusions:

• Resin-impregnated FDM composites demonstrate improved homogeneity and strength compared to unfilled FDM parts.
• The study highlights the potential of resin-filled FDM structures for engineering applications.
• Numerical analysis is effective in understanding the structural behavior and identifying critical areas in these composites.