Design of a large format printing platform that allows the extrusion of composite materials based on pellets and continuous fibers.

Abstract

Commonly additive manufacturing (AM) through the technique of extrusion of molten material is used to manufacture prototypes. This is mainly because the materials commonly used in these technologies are thermoplastics of low mechanical performance. That is why this project seeks the development of an extrusion head that uses polymeric matrix composite materials in the form of pellets and reinforcements of natural or synthetic continuous fibers in order to be used in a large format MA system, which allows the manufacture of objects with better functional and mechanical performance than those found conventionally. For this purpose, different stages were carried out for the development of the project, starting with the design and construction of the printing platform; followed by the design of an extrusion head that allows the integration of a polymeric matrix and continuous fibers. As a result, printed traces were obtained using PLA pellets and glass fiber, resulting in a total coating of the fiber on the printed material.