Robotic 3D Printing of Continuous Fiber Reinforced Thermoset Composites

Abstract

3D printing offers a cost-effective solution for rapidly prototyping and customizing composite products. The integration of multi-axis robotic systems with the printing process significantly enhances motion control, design flexibility, and manufacturing scalability. In this study, a robot-assisted manufacturing platform and the associated digital workflow for the 3D printing of UV-curable continuous fiber-reinforced polymer composites (CFRPCs) is introduced. Specifically, a transferable protocol is established for robotic 3D printing of CFRPCs, which involves coordinate calculation, trajectory generation, and validation checks. This protocol enables the printing of composite samples or large-scale structures on both planar substrates and curved 3D substrates. Additionally, composite printing on substrates with unknown profiles using laser-based 3D scanning is demonstrated. Overall, the developed printing method and workflow are applicable to a broader range of feedstock materials and robotic manipulators, which makes this study a valuable resource for future developments in 3D-printed CFRPCs.