Additive Manufacturing of Polymer-Based Composites Using Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF): a Review

Abstract

In this review paper, recent developments in the Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) approach are provided for composite materials. Influencing parameters in FFF process such as road width, print speed, layer thickness, feed rate and build temperature of the model (both liquefier and envelope temperature), fiber orientation, the layer position, volume frac-tion, and infill orientation have been studied. These considered parameters in the strength/bonding or physicochemical characterizations of FFF-fabricated parts have been presented in detail. An overview of the mechanical properties of printed parts for different composite material systems is presented and discussed. Three types of reinforced polymers in FFF process have been considered: filled reinforced polymers, continuous fiber-reinforced poly-mers, and short fiber reinforced polymers.