Title: Direct Digital Manufacture of a Continuous Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Composite 6-meter I-beam Incorporating an Integral Grid Stiffened Shear Web

Authors: Alexander Eriksson, Carter Dojan, Donald Radford

DOI:

Abstract: Direct digital manufacture (DDM) of continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic matrix composites from commingled tow feedstock maintains the performance of traditional continuous fiber composites but enables the manufacture of complex structures with radically reduced tooling requirements. To date, demonstrations of this technology have been relatively small in scale with low material deposition rates. To demonstrate the ability to use DDM at an industrial scale and to increase material deposition rates, a robot-mounted end effector is developed and utilized in conjunction with a Motoman ES200D robot on a 9m track. The end effector has a 300mm heated zone length, more than an order of magnitude longer than previous laboratory units, which enables increased deposition speed and is able to process relatively large TEX (10,600) tows of commingled material, enabling increased deposition width and layer thickness. The custom placement nozzle forms and consolidates the tow during the placement process, removing the need for postprocessing. Using this end effector, mounted on a robotic system with a build area exceeding 1.5m x 8m, 6m continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic grid stiffened test I-beams are planned to be produced. The development of the high deposition rate system is discussed, and the outcomes are described in terms of deposition rates and the corresponding composite quality.

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Conference: SAMPE 2026

Publication Date: 2026/04/27

SKU: 214

Pages: 16

Price: $32.00