Effect of fibre arrangements on tensile properties of 3D printed continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites

Continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFRTPCs) with advantages of great mechanical properties and green recyclability, have been widely used in aerospace, transportation, sports and leisure products, etc. This study applied the 3D printing process for the integrated rapid manufacturing of CFRTPCs. The volume fraction and distribution arrangement of fiber reinforcement were designed to evaluate the effect of fiber arrangements on tensile properties of the printed composites. The experimental results proved that some outer and inner defects reduced the surface smoothness and tensile properties based on the analysis of macro and micro morphology. The fiber distributed evenly contributed to the dimensional precision and stability, as well as tensile properties. With the increasing fiber volume, the elastic modulus and ultimate tensile strength both approximately increased while the strain at break decreased. This work promises a significant contribution to the abilities of designing fiber arrangements to control tensile properties of 3D printed CFRTPCs.