Mechanical properties of continuous glass fibre-reinforced composites made by material extrusion

This paper presents an experimental and numerical study on the mechanical properties of continuous glass fibre-reinforced composites fabricated using the material extrusion technique. Specimens with varying numbers of reinforcement layers are 3D printed using a MarkForged Mark Two printer. Both flexural and tensile tests are conducted to evaluate the performance of these specimens. In addition, a numerical modelling approach based on finite-element analysis (FEA) is developed to simulate the flexural and tensile properties of the composites. A comparison between the model predictions and experimental results reveals a reasonable agreement. The findings of this research provide valuable insights into the emerging field of continuous fibre-reinforced 3D printing technology, enabling users to design and fabricate parts that meet the specific requirements of their applications with a high level of confidence.