Robotic 3D Printing of Continuous Fiber Reinforced Thermoset Composites

Abstract

3D printing offers a cost‐effective solution for rapidly prototyping and customizing composite products. The integration of multi‐axis robotic systems with the printing process significantly enhances motion control, design flexibility, and manufacturing scalability. In this study, a robot‐assisted manufacturing platform and the associated digital workflow for the 3D printing of UV‐curable continuous fiber‐reinforced polymer composites (CFRPCs) is introduced. Specifically, a transferable protocol is established for robotic 3D printing of CFRPCs, which involves coordinate calculation, trajectory generation, and validation checks. This protocol enables the printing of composite samples or large‐scale structures on both planar substrates and curved 3D substrates. Additionally, composite printing on substrates with unknown profiles using laser‐based 3D scanning is demonstrated. Overall, the developed printing method and workflow are applicable to a broader range of feedstock materials and robotic manipulators, which makes this study a valuable resource for future developments in 3D‐printed CFRPCs.