Laser Additive Manufacturing of Continuous Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composites

Abstract

Carbon fiber-reinforced composites are widely used in aerospace, rail transportation, and new energy vehicles due to their low specific gravity and good mechanical and chemical properties. Compared to short fibers continuous fiber-reinforced composites have better properties, and the development of additive manufacturing provides an effective way to design and shape complex components of this material. This study focuses on four processes for laser additive manufacturing and laser-assisted additive manufacturing of continuous carbon fiber reinforced composites, including laser-assisted automated tape placement (L-ATP), laser-assisted laminated object manufacturing (L-LOM), laser-assisted fused deposition manufacturing (L-FDM), and robot-based laser additive manufacturing (R-LAM). The material design and preparation, forming principle, equipment, and process characteristics of laser additive manufacturing continuous carbon fiber reinforced composites are discussed in detail, and the application range, advantages, and disadvantages of four laser additive manufacturing continuous carbon fiber reinforced composites are compared, and the future development trend of carbon fiber composite additive manufacturing is prospected.