Interlaced three-dimensional printed composites and method for fabricating the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing composite materials reinforced with fibers in a polymer matrix lack sufficient mechanical properties for high-performance applications due to the discontinuous nature of reinforcing fibers and high manufacturing costs associated with woven mats, and current 3D printing methods are not well-suited for fabricating structural components with optimal fiber orientation and distribution.
Innovation Solution
A method and machine for producing interlaced composite components by depositing warp and weft filaments in specific weaving patterns, such as twill and satin weaves, to achieve balanced mechanical properties and complex fiber orientations within a composite structure, allowing for the creation of structural components with enhanced strength and stiffness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If woven mats of reinforcing fibers are used to enhance strength and stiffness, then mechanical properties are improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity greatly increase due to pre-cutting and hand laying
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing process parameters from traditional hand lay-up to automated FDM 3D printing, allowing continuous fiber reinforcement to be deposited directly in the desired orientation without manual intervention. This automation resolves the contradiction by maintaining high strength while dramatically reducing labor costs and manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical hand lay-up process with an automated FDM printing system that uses a digital model to control fiber placement. This substitution eliminates the need for manual pre-cutting and positioning, resolving the contradiction between achieving woven-mat-level strength and maintaining ease of manufacture
2Ease of manufacture
If discontinuous reinforcing fibers are used in polymer matrix, then composite formation is simplified, but reinforcement strength is limited by matrix strength and fiber adhesion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional approach by using continuous fibers instead of discontinuous fibers, and simplifying the manufacturing process through automated deposition rather than complex hand lay-up. This inversion resolves the contradiction by achieving both ease of manufacture and high reinforcement strength simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a hybrid composite approach combining continuous reinforcing fibers with a polymer matrix, deposited in alternating layers through FDM printing. This composite structure maintains the simplicity of polymer matrix formation while achieving the high strength of continuous fiber reinforcement
3Productivity
If FDM printing with reinforcement fibers is used to create structural composites, then manufacturing speed is improved, but mechanical strength remains insufficient for high-performance applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-aligning continuous fibers in the desired stress directions before deposition, and by using a digital model to plan the entire fiber placement strategy in advance. This allows the FDM printing process to maintain high speed while achieving optimal structural strength for high-performance applications
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds the dimension of continuous fiber orientation control to the FDM printing process, enabling fibers to be deposited in specific patterns (such as cross-ply or angle-ply configurations) that optimize mechanical strength while maintaining manufacturing speed
4Manufacturing precision
If automated tape placement is used for precise fiber placement, then manufacturing precision is improved, but applicability is limited to relatively simple curvilinear surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the fiber placement system dynamic by using programmable FDM print heads that can automatically adjust deposition paths, angles, and patterns according to the complex geometry of the substrate. This dynamic control allows precise fiber placement on surfaces of any complexity, resolving the contradiction between precision and adaptability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The interlaced composite structure achieves improved mechanical properties, including increased tensile and shear strength, impact resistance, and reduced manufacturing complexity, enabling the production of high-performance components with tailored material properties in different locations.
Implementation Method 1
FDM melts a polymeric or metallic filament and deposits the molten material in thin layers
Implementation Method 2
The oldest form of 3D printing is stereolithography, where a bath of liquid polymer is selectively polymerized at its surface by UV radiation
Implementation Method 3
In this system, a thin layer of metal powder is deposited onto the print surface and selectively sintered by a laser
Data Source
AI summary
A machine and method are presented for producing interlaced composite components. The method includes: depositing a first one or more warp filaments onto a deposition surface in a first linear direction, inserting, on top of the first one or more warp filaments, a first one or more weft filaments in a second linear direction, where the second direction is in the same plane as the first one or more warp filaments but is not parallel to the direction of the first one or more warp filaments, depositing, on top of the one or more first weft filaments, one or more second warp filaments in first linear direction, where the second one or more warp filaments are not collinear with the first one of more warp filaments, and inserting, on top of the second one or more warp filaments, a second one or more weft filaments in the second direction.