High-Performance Composite Structures

Additive manufacturing (AM) technology, which is generally known as 3D printing has reshaped construction and manufacturing industries, i.e., from aerospace to medical uses, Earth construction to other planets construction. By another term, eras of rejuvenation have begun by the additive manufacturing technology rebirth. From the beginning phase, additive manufacturing technology builds underlying ideas like costs, production time, and workforce to a high level. Manufacturing emerging trend is focussing definitely around the productivity increase. The arising methodology of AM is utilized for the growing demand needs. This section portrays the manufacturing and engineering cycle with the most recent technologies and 3D model management of AM evolution. In addition, chosen to emanate trends in AM will be introduced, examined, which includes composites fabrication, multi-material techniques, AM manufacturing different kinds, and related promises as for the integration of sensors, material properties neighbourhood fitting, or AM parts electronic systems. At long last, AM utilization brought new patterns that are uncovered beneath some new economic activities depiction.

The tremendous development of Additive Manufacturing (AM) made significant progress in biomedical and tissue engineering applications. AM has a smart manufacturing capability for building three dimensional (3D) complex geometries of biomedical implants with controlled process parameters and by utilizing innovative materials especially, functional biocomposites. The patient specific and customized implant fabrication could be achieved with high success rate by using AM technology with tailorable porosity. After World War II, biomaterials gained noteworthy attention due to desirable characteristics which can replace dysfunctioning human organs. Emergence of AM technologies  and  its collaboration with biomaterials made has a significant breakthrough in healthcare industry. Typical AM technologies mandated for developing biomedical implants are considered as an effective approach due to its versatility. This chapter aims to comprehensively discuss about the construction of functional biocomposites using AM technologies for potential biomedical implants. There has been many investigations made on various functional composites based on polymers, ceramics, metals and functionally graded materials (FGMs) for different biomedical implants such as hard and soft tissues, orthopedic and dental applications. The mechanical and biological behaviour of AM processed implants which makes them suitable for AM technology are further discussed with salient applications.

This chapter briefly explores the importance of 3D printing technology in fabrication of composite sandwich structure for aerospace applications. Recently 3D printing composite sandwich structure showed immense potential over traditional manufacturing process due to its freedom to design customization and print complex composite sandwich structure with minimum wastage of material. The investigation here enlightens the types of core, joining method, advantages and performance of 3D printing composite sandwich structure intended to aerospace industries is investigated in details. The performance of the 3D printed composite sandwich structure usually measured using compression, bending and impact test. It is also noted energy absorption characteristic is the crucial factor that measures the performance of the sandwich structure. The energy absorption depends on the topology of the unit cell and the material for fabrication. It is concluded that 3D printing is most flexible and sustainable technology for manufacturing composite sandwich structure in aerospace industries.

This paper studies the compressive properties of the 3D printed spherical-roof contoured-core (SRCC) sandwich panels under quasi-static loading. The novel core structure was used photosensitive resin as a thermoset polymer, which was fabricated through the stereolithography (SLA) process. This paper was focused on investigating the novel SRCC sandwich panels with spherical-roof contoured-core and its diamond-shaped notch core design. The effects of core wall thickness, core design, and boundary condition on the 3D printed sandwich panel were carried out under axial quasi-static loading tests. The results were highlighted that the compressive performance of the 3D printed sandwich panels increased rapidly with increasing the core wall thickness. The core structure was bonded with two skins that provided higher compressive modulus, compressive strength, F_peak, energy absorption (EA), and specific energy absorption (SEA). Moreover, the failure behaviour of these 3D printed novel composite sandwich panels was also studied.

The use of many new materials and their hybrids and composites in various applications is growing in material technologies. These alternatives include the potential of additive manufacturing (AM) for future revolution, and significant interest, due to its radical ability to produce complex structures. The essential characteristics of AM or 3D printing are flexibility of design, production modifications, waste minimization, complex structures, and fast prototyping. The growing interest rate in 3D printing enhances the demand for new materials constantly to embed 3D printing in new emerging fields and make innovative applications. In various applications, including selecting, biomedicine, and automation, these materials are highly assured. Furthermore, new methods and technologies are identified in the 3D printing process, aimed at improved mechanical homes of soft 3D printed gels and controlling materials in the thermal environment. The creation of new 3D printable materials is detailed on both artificial and design aspects.

Additive manufacturing (or 3D printing) has been widely used in a variety of industries, including medical implantation. By utilizing digital technology, we are able to create a personalized implant that can represent an anticipated design and surface finish, form, as well as the necessary power it will require. Because research in this field is still in its early stages, fused deposition modeling (FDM) faces several challenges, and there are current limitations in terms of the finish and specifications required for implant manufacturing. A variety of AM methods described in this article are explained here, as are their applications in the field of biomedical implants. In addition to examining recent technologies and future directions for producing more accurate and durable biomedical implants, important new avenues of investigation are opened.

The industrial revolution is a deliberated essential for this hurtling world as an eco-friendly manufacturing needed in order to avoid dumping of wastages in landfills and noise pollution. Fused deposition modelling plays a vital role due to its economic, user friendly operation and its abundant feedstock availability. The thermoplastic materials have been a popular feedstock material used widely in FDM for various field applications such as pharmaceutical, biomedical, aerospace and automotive industries. The FDM printed parts are qualified by ASTM and ISO committee which assures the better quality of the parts.

Gas metal arc welding-based wire arc additive manufacturing (GMAW-WAAM) is the most widespread and commonly used technique in the metal additive manufacturing industry. The quality of fabricated parts using GMAW-WAAM largely depends on different process parameters and temperature/heat generation during the process. The dissemination of temperature in the process is considerably affected by path planning. Eventually, the overall precision and the surface quality of the fabricated components get affected. In this chapter, the consequences of temperature dissemination on the process have been analyzed using a finite element analysis-based model. The model simulates the GMAW-WAAM process of 316L stainless steel for a single layer deposition in a specified shape and the temperature dissemination has been documented. The outcome is that at all the turning points, a local temperature accumulation occurs which might degrade the geometric properties of the fabricated component. The developed model can additionally aid in the growth of a responsive supervision and restriction system to control the thermal anomaly.

Functionally graded materials (FGMs) are classified as advanced materials, which are gradient in mechanical properties throughout the structure and specified according to their heterogeneous components/compositions. FGMs can be fabricated using a variety of well-established processing methods; however, it is also known that there is a huge scope and need of newer technologies. Emerging technologies like additive manufacturing provide a higher level of spatial resolution control and offer an interesting way to conquer the problems of existing methods. AM build each of the single or multiple layers by incorporating selective deposition, and as a result, provides precise control over composition and multiple structures at the micro-level; such excellent in process control, AM could be used to fabricate complex FGMs with multiple functions and directional gradient frameworks. In this chapter, we discuss and provide a brief overview of methods of fabrication and research progress of FGMs via AM route which includes stereolithography, material extrusion, laser-based AM like laser engineered net shaping (LENS), selective laser sintering (SLS), selective laser melting((SLM), binder jetting and hybrid AM techniques like wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) and friction stir additive manufacturing (FSAM). We also highlight the various key aspect related to design and operational strategies, structural and mechanical properties of FGMs fabricated via AM route.

Strength, toughness, and anisotropy are all important mechanical features in 3D printing. Unfortunately, strength and toughness are frequently antagonistic, making it difficult to improve both at the same time. Here, a biomimetic composite is proposed to increase both the strength and toughness with in-plane isotropy. The optimal rotational angle, ultimate strength and toughness can be improved around 100%, respectively, along with good in-plane isotropy. The mechanics of the improvement, the fracture surface is investigated, and a finite element (FE) simulation is carried out. By keeping the stress at a modest level and maximising the fracture surface during its propagation, ideal mechanical characteristics can be achieved at a specific rotational angle. This approach is straightforward, adaptable, and has the potential to provide good mechanical reinforcement in extrusion-based 3D printing. This paper provides a critical view of the state of the 3D printing of composites of natural fibre or biocomposites for mechanical purposes and an overview of their use in 4D printing in stimulating applications. Due to unique process advantages such as rising porosity, Natural discontinuous, improved polymers with a low fibre content and very low fibre aspect ratio (L/d) have mild mechanical properties in comparison with standard composites. Fibre material, fibre control and fibre quality are defined in response to established diagnostic problems.

Nature is the biggest teacher and inspirer for humen since it involves the evolution over 3.5 billion years. Nature motivates scientists to capture the diverse models to be transformed into structures. This process is not easy and needs the efforts of experts in different fields. Biomimetics and additive manufacturing have contributed to the development of new design methods for parts and products that are distinct from one another. The combination of the two has resulted in a slew of previously unknown component designs. Individual 3D printed biomimetic parts have had a remarkable marketing effect, but there is yet to be a widespread industrial application. In regard to metal parts, laser additive manufacturing is the most common process among the various additive manufacturing methods. As a result, several case studies of laser additive manufacturing produced biomimetic designs are discussed. Functionally Gradient Materials (FGMs) and Functionally Gradient Structures (FGSs) are considered progressive compounds that have unique characteristics. Taken together, biologically inspired designs will have more future impact on the world of industry by making new designs that cope with future challenges.

Today, Laser-based additive manufacturing is the most adaptable and promising technology for the fabrication of complex design light weight composite components. This chapter explores the laser-based additive techniques and the factors that make them superior compared to conventional techniques. Both the in-situ and ex-situ reinforced metal matrix composites can be manufactured using additive manufacturing efficiently and can achieve higher mechanical properties compared to conventionally manufacture. Some reinforcing materials such as ZBr₂, AlN, SiC, Al₂O₃, HEAs, and CNTs may help to make the aluminium based light weight composites a promising candidate for almost all the industrial engineering sectors. In the future, additive manufacturing may be used to fabricate new Aluminium alloys series (2XXX, 5XXX, 6XXX and 7XXX) for manufacturing new composites by reinforcing nanomaterials and controlling the process parameters.