3D printing of biofiber-reinforced composites and their mechanical properties: a review

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1113-1129
Author(s):  
Lai Jiang ◽  
Xiaobo Peng ◽  
Daniel Walczyk
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
3D Printing ◽  
Reinforced Composites ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reinforced Composite ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Materials Used ◽  
Printing Processes ◽  
Pure Resin

Purpose This paper aims to summarize the up-to-date research performed on combinations of various biofibers and resin systems used in different three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies, including powder-based, material extrusion, solid-sheet and liquid-based systems. Detailed information about each process, including materials used and process design, are described, with the resultant products’ mechanical properties compared with those of 3D-printed parts produced from pure resin or different material combinations. In most processes introduced in this paper, biofibers are beneficial in improving the mechanical properties of 3D-printed parts and the biodegradability of the parts made using these green materials is also greatly improved. However, research on 3D printing of biofiber-reinforced composites is still far from complete, and there are still many further studies and research areas that could be explored in the future. Design/methodology/approach The paper starts with an overview of the current scenario of the composite manufacturing industry and then the problems of advanced composite materials are pointed out, followed by an introduction of biocomposites. The main body of the paper covers literature reviews of recently emerged 3D printing technologies that were applied to biofiber-reinforced composite materials. This part is classified into subsections based on the form of the starting materials used in the 3D printing process. A comprehensive conclusion is drawn at the end of the paper summarizing the findings by the authors. Findings Most of the biofiber-reinforced 3D-printed products exhibited improved mechanical properties than products printed using pure resin, indicating that biofibers are good replacements for synthetic ones. However, synthetic fibers are far from being completely replaced by biofibers due to several of their disadvantages including higher moisture absorbance, lower thermal stability and mechanical properties. Many studies are being performed to solve these problems, yet there are still some 3D printing technologies in which research concerning biofiber-reinforced composite parts is quite limited. This paper unveils potential research directions that would further develop 3D printing in a sustainable manner. Originality/value This paper is a summary of attempts to use biofibers as reinforcements together with different resin systems as the starting material for 3D printing processes, and most of the currently available 3D printing techniques are included herein. All of these attempts are solutions to some principal problems with current 3D printing processes such as the limit in the variety of materials and the poor mechanical performance of 3D printed parts. Various types of biofibers are involved in these studies. This paper unveils potential research directions that would further widen the use of biofibers in 3D printing in a sustainable manner.

scholarly journals Effect of temperature on the mechanical properties of 3D-printed PLA tensile specimens

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (8) ◽  
pp. 1337-1346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marzio Grasso ◽  
Lyes Azzouz ◽  
Paula Ruiz-Hincapie ◽  
Mauro Zarrelli ◽  
Guogang Ren
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
3D Printing ◽  
Mechanical Test ◽  
Optical Microscope ◽  
Middle Part ◽  
Gauge Length ◽  
Effect Of Temperature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Relevant Effect ◽  
3D Printed

Purpose Recent advancements of 3D printing technology have brought forward the interest for this technique in many engineering fields. This study aims to focus on mechanical properties of the polylactic acid (PLA) feeding material under different thermal conditions for a typical fusion deposition of 3D printer system. Design/methodology/approach Specimens were tested under static loading within the range 20ºC to 60ºC considering different infill orientations. The combined effect of temperature and filament orientation is investigated in terms of constitutive material parameters and final failure mechanisms. The difference between feeding system before and post-3D printing was also assessed by mechanical test on feeding filament to verify the thermal profile during the deposition phase. Findings The results in terms of Young’s modulus, ultimate tensile strength (UTS), strain at failure (εf) and stress at failure (σf) are presented and discussed to study the influence of process settings over the final deposited material. Fracture surfaces have been investigated using an optical microscope to link the phenomenological interpretation of the failure with the micro-mechanical behaviour. Experimental results show a strong correlation between stiffness and strength with the infill orientation and the temperature values. Moreover, a relevant effect is related to deformed geometry of the filament approaching glass transition region of the polymer according to the deposition orientation. Research limitations/implications The developed method can be applied to optimise the stiffness and strength of any 3D-printed composite according to the infill orientation. Practical implications To avoid the failure of specimens outside the gauge length, a previously proposed modification to the geometry was adopted. The geometry has a parabolic profile with a curvature of 1,000 mm tangent to the middle part of the specimen. Originality/value Several authors have reported the stiffness and strength of 3D-printed parts under static and ambient temperature for different build parameters. However, there is a lack of literature on the combination of the latter with the temperature effects on the mechanical properties which this paper covers.

A physical investigation of dimensional and mechanical characteristics of 3D printed nut and bolt for industrial applications

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramesh Chand ◽  
Vishal S. Sharma ◽  
Rajeev Trehan ◽  
Munish Kumar Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Shear Strength ◽  
3D Printing ◽  
Surface Properties ◽  
3D Printer ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Machine Failure ◽  
Sharp Edges ◽  
3D Printed

Purpose A nut bolt joint is a primary device that connects mechanical components. The vibrations cause bolted joints to self-loosen. Created by motors and engines, leading to machine failure, and there may be severe safety issues. All the safety issues and self-loosen are directly and indirectly the functions of the accuracy and precision of the fabricated nut and bolt. Recent advancements in three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies now allow for the production of intricate components. These may be used technologies such as 3D printed bolts to create fasteners. This paper aims to investigate dimensional precision, surface properties, mechanical properties and scanning electron microscope (SEM) of the component fabricated using a multi-jet 3D printer. Design/methodology/approach Multi-jet-based 3D printed nut-bolt is evaluated in this paper. More specifically, liquid polymer-based nut-bolt is fabricated in sections 1, 2 and 3 of the base plate. Five nuts and bolts are fabricated in these three sections. Findings Dimensional inquiry (bolt dimension, general dimensions’ density and surface roughness) and mechanical testing (shear strength of nut and bolt) were carried out throughout the study. According to the ISO 2768 requirements for the General Tolerances Grade, the nut and bolt’s dimensional examination (variation in bolt dimension, general dimensions) is within the tolerance grades. As a result, the multi-jet 3D printing (MJP)-based 3D printer described above may be used for commercial production. In terms of mechanical qualities, when the component placement moves from Sections 1 to 3, the density of the manufactured part decreases by 0.292% (percent) and the shear strength of the nut and bolt decreases by 30%. According to the SEM examination, the density of the River markings, sharp edges, holes and sharp edges increased from Sections 1 to 3, which supports the findings mentioned above. Originality/value Hence, this work enlightens the aspects causing time lag during the 3D printing in MJP. It causes variation in the dimensional deviation, surface properties and mechanical properties of the fabricated part, which needs to be explored.

Effects of post-curing conditions on mechanical properties of 3D printed clear dental aligners

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 1337-1344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prashant Jindal ◽  
Mamta Juneja ◽  
Divya Bajaj ◽  
Francesco Luke Siena ◽  
Philip Breedon
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
3D Printing ◽  
Mechanical Strength ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Time Duration ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Curing Conditions ◽  
3D Printed

Purpose 3D printing techniques have been widely used for manufacturing complex parts for various dental applications. For achieving suitable mechanical strength, post-cure processing is necessary, where the relative time duration and temperature specification also needs to be defined. The purpose of this study/paper is to assess the effects of post curing conditions and mechanical properties of 3D printed clear dental aligners Design/methodology/approach Dental long-term clear resin material has been used for 3D printing of dental aligners using a Formlabs 3D printer for direct usage on patients. Post-curing conditions have been varied, all of which have been subjected to mechanical compression loading of 1,000 N to evaluate the curing effects on the mechanical strength of the aligners. Findings The experimental studies provide significant insight into both temperatures and time durations that could provide sufficient compressive mechanical strength to the 3D printed clear dental aligners. It was observed that uncured aligners deformed plastically with large deformations under the loading conditions, whereas aligners cured between 400°C–800°C for 15–20 min deformed elastically before fragmenting into pieces after safely sustaining higher compressive loads between 495 N and 666 N. The compressive modulus ratio for cured aligners ranged between 4.46 and 5.90 as compared to uncured aligners. For shorter cure time durations and lower temperature conditions, an appropriate elevated compressive strength was also achieved. Originality/value Based on initial assessments by dental surgeons, suitable customised clear aligners can be designed, printed and cured to the desired levels based on patient’s requirements. This could result in time, energy and unit production cost savings, which ultimately would help to alleviate the financial burden placed on both the health service and their patients.

scholarly journals A review of 3D printing processes and materials for soft robotics

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 1345-1361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yee Ling Yap ◽  
Swee Leong Sing ◽  
Wai Yee Yeong
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
The Future ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Multiple Materials ◽  
Printing Processes ◽  
Printing Techniques

Purpose Soft robotics is currently a rapidly growing new field of robotics whereby the robots are fundamentally soft and elastically deformable. Fabrication of soft robots is currently challenging and highly time- and labor-intensive. Recent advancements in three-dimensional (3D) printing of soft materials and multi-materials have become the key to enable direct manufacturing of soft robots with sophisticated designs and functions. Hence, this paper aims to review the current 3D printing processes and materials for soft robotics applications, as well as the potentials of 3D printing technologies on 3D printed soft robotics. Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews the polymer 3D printing techniques and materials that have been used for the development of soft robotics. Current challenges to adopting 3D printing for soft robotics are also discussed. Next, the potentials of 3D printing technologies and the future outlooks of 3D printed soft robotics are presented. Findings This paper reviews five different 3D printing techniques and commonly used materials. The advantages and disadvantages of each technique for the soft robotic application are evaluated. The typical designs and geometries used by each technique are also summarized. There is an increasing trend of printing shape memory polymers, as well as multiple materials simultaneously using direct ink writing and material jetting techniques to produce robotics with varying stiffness values that range from intrinsically soft and highly compliant to rigid polymers. Although the recent work is done is still limited to experimentation and prototyping of 3D printed soft robotics, additive manufacturing could ultimately be used for the end-use and production of soft robotics. Originality/value The paper provides the current trend of how 3D printing techniques and materials are used particularly in the soft robotics application. The potentials of 3D printing technology on the soft robotic applications and the future outlooks of 3D printed soft robotics are also presented.

Mechanical properties and water absorption behaviour of PLA and PLA/wood composites prepared by 3D printing and injection moulding

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 672-678 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josef Valentin Ecker ◽  
Andreas Haider ◽  
Ivana Burzic ◽  
Axel Huber ◽  
Gerhard Eder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
3D Printing ◽  
Water Absorption ◽  
Tensile Properties ◽  
Injection Moulding ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Wood Composites ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Influence Of Water ◽  
3D Printed

Purpose This papers aims to study the influence of water absorption on the mechanical properties of poly lactic acid (PLA) and PLA/Wood composites. Virgin PLA and PLA/Wood double-bone-shaped specimens were prepared by two methods: injection moulding and 3D printing. The results were compared to each other and showed the influence of the production method on the properties of the produced parts. Design/methodology/approach Morphology studies were done by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) from fracture surfaces of tensile and notched impact specimens of all samples. Tensile properties were analysed by the production and testing of dog-bone-shaped samples. Heat deflection temperature (HDT) was tested, as also was the crystallinity of the tested samples by differential scanning calorimetry. Findings The values for notched impact strength were higher upon water uptake in the case of injection-moulded specimens, which was not the case with 3D-printed specimens. Tensile properties of the specimens produced by both methods were reduced after water absorption tests. Values of the HDT were also lower after water absorption tests studied for both processing methods. Originality/value Morphology studies were done by SEM from fracture surfaces of tensile as well as notched impact specimens of injection-moulded and 3D-printed samples. The effect of water storage on various samples was tested. The two different production technologies were compared to each other owing to their influence of water storage. This study also dealt with NFC compounds and produced NFC composites and the influence of water storage on these samples.

scholarly journals 3D printing of composites: design parameters and flexural performance

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 699-706
Author(s):  
Feras Korkees ◽  
James Allenby ◽  
Peter Dorrington
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
3D Printing ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
Fibre Volume Fraction ◽  
Fibre Volume ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Flexural Performance ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Strength And Stiffness

Purpose 3D printing of composites has a high degree of design freedom, which allows for the manufacture of complex shapes that cannot be achieved with conventional manufacturing processes. This paper aims to assess the design variables that might affect the mechanical properties of 3D-printed fibre-reinforced composites. Design/methodology/approach Markforged Mark-Two printers were used to manufacture samples using nylon 6 and carbon fibres. The effect of fibre volume fraction, fibre layer location and fibre orientation has been studied using three-point flexural testing. Findings The flexural strength and stiffness of the 3D-printed composites increased with increasing the fibre volume fraction. The flexural properties were altered by the position of the fibre layers. The highest strength and stiffness were observed with the reinforcement evenly distributed about the neutral axis of the sample. Moreover, unidirectional fibres provided the best flexural performance compared to the other orientations. 3D printed composites also showed various failure modes under bending loads. Originality/value Despite multiple studies available on 3D-printed composites, there does not seem to be a clear understanding and consensus on how the location of the fibre layers can affect the mechanical properties and printing versatility. Therefore, this study covered this design parameter and evaluated different locations in terms of mechanical properties and printing characteristics. This is to draw final conclusions on how 3D printing may be used to manufacture cost-effective, high-quality parts with excellent mechanical performance.

scholarly journals 3D-Printed Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites: A Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyed Hamid Reza Sanei ◽  
Diana Popescu
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Carbon Fiber ◽  
3D Printing ◽  
Fiber Orientation ◽  
Fiber Reinforced Composites ◽  
Carbon Fiber Composites ◽  
Reinforced Composites ◽  
Fiber Reinforced ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Carbon Fiber Reinforced

Fiber reinforced composites offer exceptional directional mechanical properties, and combining their advantages with the capability of 3D printing has resulted in many innovative research fronts. This review aims to summarize the methods and findings of research conducted on 3D-printed carbon fiber reinforced composites. The review is focused on commercially available printers and filaments, as their results are reproducible and the findings can be applied to functional parts. As the process parameters can be readily changed in preparation of a 3D-printed part, it has been the focus of many studies. In addition to typical composite driving factors such as fiber orientation, fiber volume fraction and stacking sequence, printing parameters such as infill density, infill pattern, nozzle speed, layer thickness, built orientation, nozzle and bed temperatures have shown to influence mechanical properties. Due to the unique advantages of 3D printing, in addition to conventional unidirectional fiber orientation, concentric fiber rings have been used to optimize the mechanical performance of a part. This review surveys the literature in 3D printing of chopped and continuous carbon fiber composites to provide a reference for the state-of-the-art efforts, existing limitations and new research frontiers.

scholarly journals 3D Printing Improved Testicular Prostheses: Using Lattice Infill Structure to Modify Mechanical Properties

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Skewes ◽  
Michael Y. Chen ◽  
David Forrestal ◽  
Nicholas J. Rukin ◽  
Maria A. Woodruff
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
3D Printing ◽  
3D Model ◽  
Patient Specific ◽  
Shore Hardness ◽  
Elastomeric Material ◽  
Hardness Tests ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Manufacturing Methods ◽  
Materials Used

Patients often opt for implantation of testicular prostheses following orchidectomy for cancer or torsion. Recipients of testicular prostheses report issues regarding firmness, shape, size, and position, aspects of which relate to current limitations of silicone materials used and manufacturing methods for soft prostheses. We aim to create a 3D printable testicular prosthesis which mimics the natural shape and stiffness of a human testicle using a lattice infill structure. Porous testicular prostheses were engineered with relative densities from 0.1 to 0.9 using a repeating cubic unit cell lattice inside an anatomically accurate testicle 3D model. These models were printed using a multi-jetting process with an elastomeric material and compared with current market prostheses using shore hardness tests. Additionally, standard sized porous specimens were printed for compression testing to verify and match the stiffness to human testicle elastic modulus (E-modulus) values from literature. The resulting 3D printed testicular prosthesis of relative density between 0.3 and 0.4 successfully achieved a reduction of its bulk compressive E-modulus from 360 KPa to a human testicle at 28 Kpa. Additionally, this is the first study to quantitatively show that current commercial testicular prostheses are too firm compared to native tissue. 3D printing allows us to create metamaterials that match the properties of human tissue to create customisable patient specific prostheses. This method expands the use cases for existing biomaterials by tuning their properties and could be applied to other implants mimicking native tissues.

A review on the role of 3D printing in the fight against COVID-19: safety and challenges

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sapam Ningthemba Singh ◽  
Vavilada Satya Swamy Venkatesh ◽  
Ashish Bhalchandra Deoghare
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
3D Printing ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Medical Supplies ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
Safety And Reliability ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Comprehensive Study

Purpose During the COVID-19 pandemic, the three-dimensional (3D) printing community is actively participating to address the supply chain gap of essential medical supplies such as face masks, face shields, door adapters, test swabs and ventilator valves. This paper aims to present a comprehensive study on the role of 3D printing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, its safety and its challenges. Design/methodology/approach This review paper focuses on the applications of 3D printing in the fight against COVID-19 along with the safety and challenges associated with 3D printing to fight COVID-19. The literature presented in this paper is collected from the journal indexing engines including Scopus, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, PubMed, Web of Science, etc. The main keywords used for searches were 3D printing COVID-19, Safety of 3D printed parts, Sustainability of 3D printing, etc. Further possible iterations of the keywords were used to collect the literature. Findings The applications of 3D printing in the fight against COVID-19 are 3D printed face masks, shields, ventilator valves, test swabs, drug deliveries and hands-free door adapters. As most of these measures are implemented hastily, the safety and reliability of these parts often lacked approval. The safety concerns include the safety of the printed parts, operators and secondary personnel such as the workers in material preparation and transportation. The future challenges include sustainability of the process, long term supply chain, intellectual property and royalty-free models, etc. Originality/value This paper presents a comprehensive study on the applications of 3D printing in the fight against COVID-19 with emphasis on the safety and challenges in it.

Mechanical Properties of 3D-Printed Wood-Plastic Composites

2018 ◽  
Vol 777 ◽  
pp. 499-507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ossi Martikka ◽  
Timo Kärki ◽  
Qing Ling Wu
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Composite Materials ◽  
3D Printing ◽  
Impact Strength ◽  
Polylactic Acid ◽  
Wood Plastic Composite ◽  
Wood Plastic Composites ◽  
Plastic Composite ◽  
Plastic Composites ◽  
3D Printed

3D printing has rapidly become popular in both industry and private use. Especially fused deposition modeling has increased its popularity due to its relatively low cost. The purpose of this study is to increase knowledge in the mechanical properties of parts made of wood-plastic composite materials by using 3D printing. The tensile properties and impact strength of two 3D-printed commercial wood-plastic composite materials are studied and compared to those made of pure polylactic acid. Relative to weight –mechanical properties and the effect of the amount of fill on the properties are also determined. The results indicate that parts made of wood-plastic composites have notably lower tensile strength and impact strength that those made of pure polylactic acid. The mechanical properties can be considered sufficient for low-stress applications, such as visualization of prototypes and models or decorative items.

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