Layered-Manufacturing of Fiber-Reinforced Composites

In this paper, we present a rapid manufacturing process for the layered fabrication of polymer-based composite parts using short discontinuous fibers as reinforcements. This process uses a UV-laser-based system for the selective solidification of the composite liquid. The primary components of the prototype are: (1) fiber-resin mixing subsystem, (2) composite-liquid deposition subsystem, (3) liquid leveling subsystem, and (4) laser-light delivery subsystem. Axiomatic Design Theory was used to validate the design selected for the experimental embodiment of the process. Extensive microscopic examination of the layered composite parts verified that the prototype system can yield comparable layer quality, in terms of accuracy and uniformity, to that of pure-resin parts made by a photopolymer-based commercial system. Furthermore, mechanical testing of these composite specimens showed up to 60 percent improvement in modulus over the unreinforced layered specimens.