3D Printer Using Continuous Carbon Fiber

Composite Materials

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Tokyo University of Science

Ryosuke Matsuzaki

1
 Background

 
3D printer for resin material
4.5 times in
4 years
•  Predicted to bring a Revolution in
Manufacturing that will dramatically
change manufacturing
•  World 3D printer market to grow to
Transition of scale of world 3D
320,000 units in 2017 printer market
(Yano Research Institute Ltd., 2014)
•  Resin is not suitable for fabrication of
structural members
è Primarily used for fabrication of
prototypes and toys

Engine block prototype

(METI Journal, 2013) 2
 Background
Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) 50% composite materials

•  Lighter, more rigid, and stronger

than existing metallic materials
•  Increasing application, widespread
in airplanes and automobiles
•  Molding of current composite
materials is a very complicated
process CFRP usage ratio in latest passenger plane
(Boeing)

Laminating Heating Demolding Single product Sub- Assembly of

and machining assembly all parts
hardening
2D/3D
designing

Materials

Assembly Cost
100
Parts 3
 Conventional Technology and Its Issues

CFRP molding 3D printer

Merits: High strength and rigidity  Merit: Automatic 3D molding 

Demerits: Die is required, costly Demerits: Low strength and rigidity

Solution is a 3D printer that

manufactures continuous carbon fiber
composite materials
High strength
4
continuous carbon fiber
 High Strength 3D Molding
by using Continuous Carbon Fiber 3D Printer

•  The printer nozzle integrates continuous carbon fiber with thermoplastic

resin

Thermoplastic filament

Continuous carbon fiber Drive gear

Printer head
Preheater

Heater

Nozzle

Continuous carbon fiber Hot table

composite materials
5
 Characteristics of New Technology and
Comparison with Conventional Technology
l  Uses continuous carbon fiber, and prints highly rigid and strong
materials three dimensionally
l  Does not require a die and optimization is automatic, molding and
machining (trimming) based on 3D CAD data
•  Suitable for multi-product production in small lots
•  Significantly reduces development period, manufacturing time,
cost, and weight
l  Low cost as the widespread 3D printer
technology can be applied
•  Cost of a similar technology, automated fiber
placement, is over 100,000 USD. Implementation
Automated Fiber Placement
of this technology is very rare in Japan. (Netherlands Aerospace Centre)
l  Because orientation and content of fiber are controllable, the
advantage of CFRP is fully harnessed in combination with the
optimization method 6
 CFRTP 3D Printing

•  3D printing of composite materials (movie)

7
 Fiber Cutting Mechanism

•  Fiber is cut during printing, to realize

free three-dimensional shaping

•  Carbon fiber cutting

(movie)

8
 3D-Printed Test Piece in Dumbbell Shape

•  PLA test piece

(without reinforcing fiber)

•  CFRP for 3D printing

200 mm

t : 4 mm
•  JFRP for 3D printing
è Green composite combining jute fiber and PLA

9
9
 Material Characteristics of 3D Printing
Composite Materials
•  Introducing continuous carbon fiber increases the modulus and
strength by 4 to 6 times

25"

strength (MPa)
250"
modulus (GPa)

20"
Increases Increases by
Tensile"modulus"(GPa)

200"

Tensile"strength"(MPa)
by 6 times 4.3 times
15" 150"

10" 100"

Tensile
Tensile

5" 50"

0" 0"
PLA" JFRTP" CFRTP" PLA" JFRTP" CFRTP"
PLA JFRP CFRP PLA JFRP CFRP

10
 Material Characteristics Comparison with
Commercially Available Industrial 3D Printers
The characteristics are dramatically improved compared to
commercially available industrial 3D printers
30

25
(GPa)
modulus (GPa)

20 Reinforced
Tensile modulus

FDM
15
Continuous carbon
fiber method
Young's

10 Continous fiber
Selective laser Sintering
SLS composites
 
   SLA
5 Stereolithography

FDM
Fused deposition modeling
0
0 50 100 150 200 250
Strength
Tensile (MPa)(MPa)
strength 11
 Device Image
l  Desktop Composite Material 3D Printer
•  Optimizes fiber orientation from 3D CAD data
•  3D printing of high strength carbon fiber composite materials on
desktop
•  Can also machine and trim by changing the head

l  Structure
•  Highly rigid base
・ Compatible with heavy head for molding
composite materials
・ Compatible with 3D CNC Spindle installed (3D CNC)
•  Multiple head types
・ Spindle CNC machining
・ Prepreg tape layup
・ In-situ impregnated CFRTP
•  Software
・ Optimization of fiber orientation
12
Prepreg tape layup head
 New Design Concept Leads to New Products
•  Not bound by conventional linear fiber orientation, and degree of design
freedom is significantly improved, including curvature fiber orientation
•  New design concept allows creation of new products
•  Same ３D CAD data yields different products, indicating that the
performance of the optimizer determines product performance.
 è Accumulated knowledge on optimization including curvature orientation.

Continuous fiber orientation Stress distribution Fiber content considered

13
 Additional Capacity for Automatic
Manufacturing of New Structure
•  Automatic isogrid molding •  Reduction of stress
concentration

•  Bending •  Prevention of delamination

•  Sandwich structure •  Modulus/strength/ tailoring

14
 Software-controlled Manufacturing

•  Key to optimizing fiber orientation and strength database.

•  Manufacturing will be software-controlled, and information will be
centralized in Japan; thus, replicating the technology will be
difficult.
Manufacturing
Plant

・Digital design information

・Design conditions

Faster development

Flexible production

Information center 15
 Potential Applications
Application

l  Suitable for manufacturing a variety of components requiring

structural strength in small lots, and substantially reduces
development period, manufacturing time, cost and weight

l  Aviation, automobile, medical, and general work equipment

sectors. Particularly, machining jigs and medical care devices
such as prosthetic legs and assist suits

l  Possibility of application to batch manufacturing by combining

3D printer and an assembly robot for metal parts

Other developments
l  High-level amateurs
l  Post secondary and corporate research institutions
•  Education: prototyping, designing, and optimizing
•  Research: Adaptable to diverse requirements
16
 Challenges for Practical Applications

•  Technology required for fiber orientation optimization,

continuous carbon fiber 3D printing, and fiber cutting has
already been developed.

•  The fiber volume fraction needs to be increased to the level of

existing CFRP products.

•  Future scope of this study is to develop nozzles and filaments

to achieve a high volume fraction of fiber.

•  It is also necessary to establish a technology to improve the

accuracy of three-dimensional molding to the level of existing
3D printers for practical applications.

17
 Expectation to Businesses

•  Introduction of this technology is expected to be

effective for businesses that require
(manufacturing of) various strength components
in small lots.

•  Joint study with companies having the technology

to manufacture this printer as a complete device

•  Joint study with companies considering

developing a new business in the 3D printer area

•  Assistance in establishing a venture business

18
 Intellectual Property Right of This Technology

PCT Application

Title of invention:
Three-dimensional Printing System, Three-dimensional
Printing Method, Molding Device, Fiber-containing Object,
and Production Method

Application No.: PCT/JP2015/ 65300

Filing date: May 27, 2015

19
 History of Industry-Academia
Collaboration

•  2014: Selected for Support Industry

Program under Strategic Core Technology
Advancement Program (Supporting Industry
Program)
•  2015: Selected for NEDO Next Generation
Structural Member Manufacturing and
Machining Technology Development

20
 Contact

•  Reiko Moriya, URA 

•  University Research Administration
Center
•  Tokyo University of Science 

TEL +81-3-5228-7440
FAX +81-3-5228-7441
E-mail ura@admin.tus.ac.jp
21