Influence of Raster Angle and Infill Pattern on the Mechanical Performance of Additively Manufactured Carbon Fiber Composite

The growing demand for high-specific strength, lightweight materials drives research and innovation in manufacturing industries. Composite materials are emerging as viable alternatives to traditional metals and alloys as they address these critical industry requirements effectively. Advancements in additive manufacturing technology have transformed the fabrication of composite materials with tailored mechanical properties. However, there is a limited understanding of the material properties of composites manufactured through three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. This work aims to provide a better understanding of the relationship between the 3D printing process parameters and mechanical properties of the carbon fibre materials. Specifically, the study reports the effect of raster angle and infill pattern on the flexural and impact properties of onyx-reinforced carbon fibre composites. Major findings from this study reveal that there is a significant decrease in flexural strength with an increase in raster angle due to parallel deposition of fibres. In addition, the triangular infill pattern had the highest energy absorption when compared to all other equivalents. The 0° raster angles with solid or rectangular infill patterns and 45⁰ raster angles with triangular or solid patterns are ideal for applications with high flexural strength and impact resistance, respectively.