3D Printer Using Continuous Carbon Fiber
Composite Materials

Department of Mechanical Engineering
Tokyo University of Science
Ryosuke Matsuzaki

1Background3D printer for resin material

4.5 times in4 years• Predicted to bring a“Revolution inManufacturing” that will dramaticallychange manufacturing• World 3D printer market to grow to
320,000 units in 2017
• Resin is not suitable for fabrication ofstructural members

Transition of scale of world 3D
printer market(Yano Research Institute Ltd., 2014)

è Primarily used for fabrication ofprototypes and toys

Engine block prototype(METI Journal, 2013)2BackgroundCarbon ﬁber reinforced plastic (CFRP)

50% composite materials• Lighter, more rigid, and stronger
than existing metallic materials• Increasing application, widespreadin airplanes and automobiles• Molding of current composite
materials is a very complicatedprocess

Laminating
2D/3D
designing

Heatingand
hardening

Demolding

CFRP usage ratio in latest passenger plane(Boeing)

Single productmachining

Subassembly

Assembly ofall parts

Materials
Assembly

Cost
100Parts3

Conventional Technology and Its Issues
CFRP molding

Merits: High strength and rigidity
Demerits: Die is required, costly

3D printerMerit: Automatic 3D molding
Demerits: Low strength and rigidity

Solution is a 3D printer that
manufactures continuous carbon ﬁber
composite materials
High strength
continuous carbon ﬁber

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High Strength 3D Moldingby using Continuous Carbon Fiber 3D Printer•The printer nozzle integrates continuous carbon ﬁber with thermoplastic
resin
Thermoplastic ﬁlamentContinuous carbon ﬁber

Drive gear

Printer head

Preheater

HeaterNozzle

Continuous carbon ﬁber
composite materials

Hot table
5Characteristics of New Technology andComparison with Conventional Technologyl Uses continuous carbon ﬁber, and “prints” highly rigid and strong
materials three dimensionallyl Does not require a die and optimization is automatic, molding andmachining (trimming) based on 3D CAD data
• Suitable for multi-product production in small lots
• Signiﬁcantly reduces development period, manufacturing time,cost, and weightl Low cost as the widespread 3D printertechnology can be applied• Cost of a similar technology, automated ﬁberplacement, is over 100,000 USD. Implementation
Automated Fiber Placementof this technology is very rare in Japan.
(Netherlands Aerospace Centre)l Because orientation and content of ﬁber are controllable, theadvantage of CFRP is fully harnessed in combination with theoptimization method

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CFRTP 3D Printing•

3D printing of composite materials (movie)

7Fiber Cutting Mechanism•

Fiber is cut during printing, to realize
free three-dimensional shaping•

Carbon ﬁber cutting(movie)

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3D-Printed Test Piece in Dumbbell Shape•PLA test piece(without reinforcing ﬁber)•CFRP for 3D printing

200 mm•JFRP for 3D printingt : 4 mm

è Green composite combining jute ﬁber and PLA99

Material Characteristics of 3D Printing
Composite Materials
Introducing continuous carbon ﬁber increases the modulus andstrength by 4 to 6 times
25"
20"

Tensilestrength (MPa)Tensile"strength"(MPa)

Tensilemodulus (GPa)Tensile"modulus"(GPa)

•Increasesby 6 times

15"
10"
5"
0"
PLA"
PLA

JFRTP"JFRP

CFRTP"
CFRP

250"
200"

Increases by
4.3 times

150"
100"
50"
0"
PLA"
PLA

JFRTP"JFRP

CFRTP"
CFRP

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Material Characteristics Comparison with
Commercially Available Industrial 3D Printers
The characteristics are dramatically improved compared tocommercially available industrial 3D printers

Tensile modulus
modulus (GPa)Young's(GPa)

30
25
20

Reinforced
FDM

15
Continuous carbon
ﬁber method

10Selective laser Sintering

SLS5SLA

Continous fiber
composites

Stereolithography

Fused deposition modeling
FDM

0050

100
150
200
Strength(MPa)(MPa)Tensilestrength250
11Device Imagel Desktop Composite Material 3D Printer• Optimizes ﬁber orientation from 3D CAD data
• 3D printing of high strength carbon ﬁber composite materials ondesktop• Can also machine and trim by changing the headl Structure• Highly rigid base・ Compatible with heavy head for molding
composite materials
・ Compatible with 3D CNC• Multiple head types
・ Spindle CNC machining
・ Prepreg tape layup
・ In-situ impregnated CFRTP• Software・ Optimization of ﬁber orientation

Spindle installed (3D CNC)

Prepreg tape layup head

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New Design Concept Leads to New Products•

Not bound by conventional linear ﬁber orientation, and degree of design
freedom is signiﬁcantly improved, including curvature ﬁber orientation•New design concept allows creation of new products•Same ３D CAD data yields diﬀerent products, indicating that theperformance of the optimizer determines product performance.
è Accumulated knowledge on optimization including curvature orientation.

Continuous ﬁber orientation

Stress distribution

Fiber content considered

13Additional Capacity for Automatic
Manufacturing of New Structure• Automatic isogrid molding• Reduction of stressconcentration• Bending• Prevention of delamination• Sandwich structure• Modulus/strength/ tailoring

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Software-controlled Manufacturing••

Key to optimizing ﬁber orientation and strength database.
Manufacturing will be software-controlled, and information will becentralized in Japan; thus, replicating the technology will bediﬃcult.
Manufacturing
Plant

・Digital design information
・Design conditions

Faster development
Flexible production

Information center15

Potential Applications
Applicationl Suitable for manufacturing a variety of components requiring
structural strength in small lots, and substantially reduces
development period, manufacturing time, cost and weightl Aviation, automobile, medical, and general work equipment
sectors. Particularly, machining jigs and medical care devices
such as prosthetic legs and assist suitsl Possibility of application to batch manufacturing by combining
3D printer and an assembly robot for metal parts
Other developmentsl High-level amateursl Post secondary and corporate research institutions• Education: prototyping, designing, and optimizing• Research: Adaptable to diverse requirements

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Challenges for Practical Applications•

Technology required for ﬁber orientation optimization,continuous carbon ﬁber 3D printing, and ﬁber cutting has
already been developed.

•The ﬁber volume fraction needs to be increased to the level ofexisting CFRP products.

•Future scope of this study is to develop nozzles and ﬁlaments
to achieve a high volume fraction of ﬁber.

•It is also necessary to establish a technology to improve theaccuracy of three-dimensional molding to the level of existing
3D printers for practical applications.

17Expectation to Businesses• Introduction of this technology is expected to beeﬀective for businesses that require(manufacturing of) various strength components
in small lots.
• Joint study with companies having the technology
to manufacture this printer as a complete device• Joint study with companies consideringdeveloping a new business in the 3D printer area
• Assistance in establishing a venture business18

Intellectual Property Right of This Technology
PCT Application
Title of invention:
Three-dimensional Printing System, Three-dimensional
Printing Method, Molding Device, Fiber-containing Object,and Production Method

Application No.: PCT/JP2015/ 65300
Filing date: May 27, 201519

History of Industry-AcademiaCollaboration• 2014: Selected for Support Industry
Program under Strategic Core Technology
Advancement Program (Supporting IndustryProgram)• 2015: Selected for NEDO Next Generation
Structural Member Manufacturing andMachining Technology Development

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Contact• Reiko Moriya, URA• University Research Administration
Center• Tokyo University of Science
TEL +81-3-5228-7440
FAX +81-3-5228-7441
E-mailura@admin.tus.ac.jp
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