Reference - Fabrication of complex 3D composites by fusing automated fiber placement (AFP) and additive manufacturing (AM) technologies

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Type	Journal
Title	Fabrication of complex 3D composites by fusing automated fiber placement (AFP) and additive manufacturing (AM) technologies
Abstract	Automated fiber placement (AFP) is emerging as one of the advanced methods toward fabrication of polymer matrix based composite structures. This automated technique focuses on polymer composite manufacturing for use in a wide range of automotive and aerospace applications. The AFP process offers an elevated level of customization through the possibility of placing each individual tow at custom-designed trajectories. Additive manufacturing (AM) method, on the other hand, has the potential to fabricate functional end user parts of complex geometries, thus eliminating the need for costly tooling, multi-step processing and fasteners or joints. This paper will highlight the potential of fusing AFP and AM processes to fabricate complex 3D polymer based composite parts. A combination of these two processes suggests a promising option for composite materials development, improving composite structures in terms of complexity and customizability. The paper presents the adopted research methodology, background research, the design, development and set up of an experimental workcell that fuses AM and AFP, and the design methodology which is required to design complex composite parts using the proposed manufacturing process. Main challenges and opportunities are discussed, such as how restrictions of conventional composite production can be eased, and additional freedoms of design can be achieved.
Accessed	2026-03-04
Authors	Raspall, Felix Velu, Rajkumar Vaheed, Nahaad Mohammed
Date	2019-1-2
Issue	1
Pages	6-16
Publisher	Taylor and Francis Ltd.
Journal	Advanced Manufacturing: Polymer and Composites Science
Volume	5
Websites	https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/20550340.2018.1557397
DOI	10.1080/20550340.2018.1557397
ISSN	20550359
Keywords	3D printing, Robot fabrication, additive manufacturing, automated fiber placement, carbon fiber reinforcement, design methodology, polymer composites, toolpath simulation

The continuous material phase that binds the reinforcement together, maintains shape, transfers load, protects the reinforcement from environment and damage, and provides the composite support in compression.

Desirable characteristics:

• Moisture/chemical resistance
• Low density
• Processability

Engineered materials (designed to have specific properties) made from two or more constituent materials with different physical or chemical properties. The constituents remain separate and distinct on a macroscopic level within the finished structure.

A tow is a bundle or yarn of individual fibres. The tow size is inherent to the fibre manufacturing process (i.e. a tow is manufactured in one process, rather than each fibre individually then bundled together after).

Typically, smaller tows are better because they result in a more homogeneous material.

The larger the tow:

• The faster it is to deposit material
• The easier is it for resin to flow between tows
• Harder for resin to saturate

Typical tow sizes:

• 1k (thousand)
• 3k
• 6k
• 12k
• 24k
• 50k

The use of multiphysics models to predict the outcome of real-world scenarios. May be analytical (closed form, "hand calculations") or computational (implementation on computers is required due to the large number of calculations involved. e.g. finite element method, finite difference method)

Most often in composite materials engineering, simulation refers to either:

• Process simulation (predicting manufacturing outcomes, or the inverse problem of predicting manufacturing parameters to achieve a desired outcome), or
• Performance simulation (predicting the stiffness/strength/suitability of a structure, or the inverse problem of the material properties and dimensional requirements to achieve a desired stiffness/strength/suitability of a structure)

(same as "Modelling")