Browsing by Author "Althomali, Abdulaziz"

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Additive Manufacturing of Continuous Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites Through Combination of Rapid Tow Shearing Deposition and Layer-by-Layer Curing
(Cranfield University, 2024) Althomali, Abdulaziz; Skordos, Alex; Asareh, Mehdi
This research aims to explore the advancement of an additive manufacturing technique for continuous fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites by combining Rapid Tow Shearing (RTS) deposition with Layer-by-Layer (LbL) curing. This approach aims to address the challenges associated with conventional manufacturing of thermoset composites, such as extended curing cycles, temperature spikes, and defects arising from inconsistent curing. A Finite Element (FE) model was developed to simulate the thermal response of CFRP composites during the LbL-RTS process. Validation results demonstrated a strong correlation between the model predictions and experimental data, confirming the accuracy of the developed model. The integrated process envelope was investigated through a set of simulations. Findings from the study illustrate that the LbL-RTS process can effectively reduce temperature overshoot by up to 30°C compared to traditional monolithic curing methods, thereby helping maintain material integrity and minimise the risk of thermal degradation. In addition, a parametric analysis is conducted to uncover the impact of varying deposition speeds on temperature profiles. The study found that for every 0.5 mm/s increase in deposition speed, the temperature overshoot rises by 5°C. However, higher deposition speeds at 100% IR power reduce temperature spikes by 6°C. Future improvements include adding mechanical properties in FE to predict and understand mechanical behaviour. Developing a deposition head that combines RTS benefits with an embedded flash lamp for irradiating tapes during deposition. Mechanical tests such as peel ply or Interlaminar Shear Strength on LbL-RTS samples would assess the interfacial and structural integrity of the produced component.
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