Abstract:
Additive Manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoset composites (CFRTSC) promises significant potential for critical applications across various industries such as defense, aerospace, energy, automotive, and prosthetics. This presentation will be focused on developing fiber processing methods for 3D printed composites, including in-nozzle fiber impregnation and fiber tow prepreg methods, and advanced 3D printing techniques that incorporate 3-axis, 4-axis, and 5-axis printhead movements. A comparative evaluation of different matrix resin formulations in terms of viscosity, shrinkage rate, and energy absorption and the influence on the printing process and the mechanical properties of the final product will be discussed. For process optimization, the study investigates varying fiber tow counts and for the influence of printing parameters such as print speed, energy exposure rate, material flow rate, and print line spacing. Results of variable material flow system indicate that the surface smoothness of the printed layers can be significantly improved by utilizing this system. A novel optical image technique based on a single laser beam is developed for both snap curing and quantification of surface characteristics, enabling effective real-time analysis of layer defects in 3D printed CFRTSC. using machine learning-based tools for detecting, categorization, and quantification of multiple surface characteristics simultaneously.
Bio:
Md Atikur Rahman is a PhD candidate at North Dakota State University (NDSU) in the Mechanical Engineering Department, specializing in additive manufacturing and composite materials. His primary research explores the development of innovative 3D printing techniques for continuous fiber-reinforced thermoset composites.
His projects have been funded by the ARL and DEVCOM.
Mr. Rahman teaches the Modeling of Engineering Systems course at NDSU, is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE), and serves in leadership positions in the NDSU chapters of ASME and SPE.
