Load-Dedicated Fiber Reinforcement of Additively Manufactured Lightweight Structures

This study focuses on a novel lightweight technology for manufacturing variable-axial fiber-reinforced polymer components. In the presented approach, channels following the load flow are implemented in an additively manufactured basic structure and impregnated continuous fiber bundles are pulled through these component-integrated cavities. Improved channel cross-section geometries to enhance the mechanical performance are proposed and evaluated. The hypothesis posits that increasing the surface area of the internal channels significantly reduces shear stresses between the polymer basic structure and the integrated continuous fiber composite. A series of experiments, including analytical, numerical, and microscopic analyses, were conducted to evaluate the mechanical properties of the composites formed, focusing on Young’s modulus and tensile strength. In addition, an important insight into the failure mechanism of the novel fiber composite is provided. The results demonstrate a clear correlation between the channel geometry and mechanical performance, indicating that optimized designs can effectively reduce shear stress, thus improving load-bearing capacities. The findings reveal that while fiber volume content influences the impregnation quality, an optimal balance must be achieved to enhance mechanical properties. This research contributes to the advancement of production technologies for lightweight components through additive manufacturing and the development of new types of composite materials applicable in various engineering fields.