Title: Thermomechanical Stress Prediction and Validation in Modular Additively Manufactured Fiber-Reinforced Composite Tooling with Adhesive Bonding

Authors: Paul Park, Garam Kim, Eduardo Barocio

DOI:

Abstract: 3D-printed fiber-reinforced composites are increasingly used for tooling applications because they offer customizable and rapid fabrication while generating less waste than traditional metallic tools. However, the build volume of the print bed restricts tool size, necessitating modular tooling, where multiple printed sections are combined to achieve larger geometries. Adhesive bonding is widely employed for this purpose, and the structural and thermal integrity of modular tools depends strongly on adhesive performance at elevated temperatures. The anisotropy of 3D-printed composites, arising from differences in the print, transverse, and stacking directions, produces mismatches in coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) both within the printed material and at adhesive interfaces. Under thermal cycling, these mismatches create localized stresses at bondlines, which can accelerate thermal degradation, interfacial damage, or delamination, ultimately compromising tool reliability. To study these effects, thermomechanical analysis and finite element analysis (FEA) was applied to predict deformation and interfacial stresses under thermal loading and, the models were validated by exposing printed specimens to controlled thermal cycles and comparing experimental measurements with simulations. This work examines the coupled influence of adhesive type, bondline thickness, and printing orientation on the thermomechanical response of bonded modular tools, providing a validated framework for optimizing design parameters to minimize failure under thermally demanding conditions.

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Conference: SAMPE 2026

Publication Date: 2026/04/27

SKU: 146

Pages: 12

Price: $24.00