Additive Manufacturing Technology

Additive Manufacturing Technology

Investigation of the Mechanical Properties of 3D Printed Continuous Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Faculty of New Technologies and Aerospace Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) method is one of the most common techniques for producing polymer parts via 3D printing. However, its widespread adoption in critical, load-bearing applications has been constrained by the inherently low mechanical properties of standard printed polymers. To address this limitation, this study modified the printing mechanism of a commercial FDM printer to enable the simultaneous deposition of a polymer matrix and continuous glass fibers, thereby creating composite parts. The research specifically investigated the effects of two key parameters: nozzle diameter and specimen layup. The fabricated composite specimens were then subjected to quasi-static tensile testing. The results conclusively demonstrated that the integration of continuous fibers into the polymer matrix led to substantial enhancements in mechanical performance. This was evidenced by a remarkable increase in both the tensile strength and the elastic modulus of the printed parts, confirming the potential of this modified process for producing structurally robust components.
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 14 July 2026