Additive manufacturing of continuous fibre reinforced polymer composites using industrial robots: A review

Abstract

In recent years, the mechanical engineering sector has undergone significant changes due to the creation and expanding application of new technologies and materials capable of radically improving the quality of manufactured products, the entire structure and production conditions. Such technologies include additive manufacturing capable of creating products from advanced materials such as continuous reinforced polymer composites. Furthermore, the integration of additive manufacturing with industrial robots offers new opportunities to create spatially reinforced composites with a directed internal structure, obtained by the orderly arrangement of continuous fibres. This review analyzes the currently available technologies for 3D printing spatially reinforced polymer composites with the addition of continuous fibers using industrial robots. The review presents the main advanced companies supplying off-the-shelf commercial systems and presents the successful experience of using these systems in the production of reinforced parts