As 3D printing technology evolves to become more accessible and more affordable, 3D printable material has expanded dramatically. These days, composite materials range from stereolithography materials to fibreglass.

Fibreglass composites are some of the most robust materials available on the market.

Inoventive 3D, a leading 3D printing and model making service in Dubai, makes full use of fibreglass composite material in various patterns and moulds. This composite material provides a degree of design freedom not available through traditional manufacturing and prototyping.

 What is composite 3D printing?

Relatively new technology in additive manufacturing, composite 3D printing combines two different materials, usually a core polymer material with a reinforced material, to create a component with synergistic properties.

This composite material has enhanced properties like higher levels of strength, durability, and resilience.

One of the most common reinforcing materials is fibreglass. A synthetic, fibrous material, fibreglass is made from inorganic silica sand then turned into micro-thin glass filaments threads via extreme heat. The glass filaments are then woven together into a fibre.

Other popular composite materials include carbon fibre, Kevlar, and high-strength high-temperature (HSHT) fibreglass, an industrial-grade fibreglass material.

 How is fibreglass 3D printed?

Although composite materials like carbon fibre and fibreglass have been used in traditional manufacturing for decades, in 3D printing, it’s a recent breakthrough. When it comes to 3D printing, the most common printer used for fibreglass printing is fused filament fabrication (FFF).

FFF 3D printers eject layers upon layers of molten glass fibre-reinforced filament, one on top of another. As the heat of the printer makes the fibreglass-infused threads pliable, the layers are drawn into the specified pattern or design.

The final print’s mechanical properties are determined by the composite material used during the printing process.

 The benefits of fibreglass

As a printable composite material, fibreglass offers added strength to its core polymer counterpart.

In comparison to conventional thermoplastics such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polylactic acid (PLA), fibreglass displays superior tensile modulus and flexural strength.

But the high tensile strength of fibreglass is not its only favourable property.

As a reinforcement material, fibreglass possesses considerable resistance to heat, corrosion, and impact. Additionally, fibreglass contributes these beneficial properties to the core polymer material without adding weight.

Fibreglass is also incredibly cost effective, making it the ideal entry-level composite material for businesses looking to experiment with composite 3D printing. There is also high-strength high-temperature (HSHT) fibreglass, an industrial-grade fibreglass material.

HSHT fibreglass material displays aluminium-like strength and delivers incredible impact and heat resistance, as well as a high level of elasticity. The only composite material that has a higher heat resistance and bend strength is carbon fibre.

 Applications of 3D printed fibreglass

Due to its strong mechanical properties, fibreglass is used in automotive, aviation, healthcare, electronics, and numerous other industrial sectors.

Below is a list of the critical applications that 3D printed fibreglass excels in:

 Functional prototypes

When sectors like aerospace and architecture want to create visual props for product development purposes, they turn to prototyping. These functional visual prototypes are an efficient and cost-effective way to actualise the end-user product before it moves into full manufacturing.

Functional prototyping was once an expensive procedure. Thanks to the use of 3D printers, prototyping can be managed at a lower cost and with minimal labour.

Composite materials like fibreglass allow product designs to be fabricated to match the desired final part properties at a fraction of traditional fabrication costs. The reinforcement qualities of fibreglass mean these prototypes are stronger, stiffer, and more durable than typical 3D printed objects.

Through the use of FFF and SLA printers, functional prototypes can be replicated with shorter lead times with the desired final part properties present.

 Jigs and Fixtures

Jigs and fixtures are required manufacturing aids used in mass production processes. Jigs are used as guiding tools, and fixtures hold or support the work. These manufacturing support tools are necessary to ensure product quality and efficiency.

3D printing streamlines the development of these manufacturing tools, allowing them to be delivered on-demand and be deployable in as little as 24 hours.

As fibreglass displays exceptional tensile strength and rigidity, the fibreglass-infused resin is a cost-effective replacement to metal jigs and fixtures found in manufacturing assembly lines, automated machining operations, and production facilities.

Examples of manufacturing jigs and fixtures that can be replaced with 3D printed fibreglass are:

• Soft jaw vice inserts

• Drill guides

• Assembly/disassembly jigs

• Go/no-go gauges

• Surrogate parts

 Tooling

Due to the nature of full production manufacturing, the development of tooling was expensive and time-consuming. Any alterations to production design also resulted in scheduling delays, thereby negatively affecting production cost and lead time.

Until the introduction of composite materials in 3D printing, aluminium was the material of choice over standard steel. This was because it was cheaper to produce and had the flexibility to make machining easier.

Aluminium, though, is not without its drawbacks.

The low-density nature of aluminium, for one, means texture selection is limited. Aluminium also tends to wear out after a few thousand production cycles. This increases tooling costs as new tooling components will be required before nonconformities occur.

Composite material offers the same advantages of aluminium without any of the drawbacks. Whether you require mould cavity inserts, extrusion dies, or cutting inserts, composite material makes it possible to print durable tooling components at a significant value.

 End-use parts

The unique properties of reinforced composite materials make them ideal end-use parts across a diverse range of sectors.

In aerospace applications, there is a high demand for excellent chemical and heat resistance. Such thermal properties are also required in medical tooling applications. What’s more, certain end-use parts like brackets, mounts, and connectors demand high tensile strength and high strength-to-weight ratios.

Fibreglass and carbon fibre materials are capable of delivering on such requirements, thus making them ideal replacements for traditionally manufactured parts.

The development of custom 3D printed parts for products eliminates many of the limitations found in traditional manufacturing. Things like iteration time, design constraints, labour requirements, and part development are easily simplified and streamlined with 3D printing.

But most importantly, 3D printed end-use parts provide massive cost savings when compared to traditional manufacturing methods.

 Conclusion

Printable material advancements as represented by fibreglass and carbon fibre help speed up manufacturing development processes and reduce cost.

 If your business is looking to experiment with composite material, the UAE fibreglass models developed by Inoventive 3D can solve design challenges and limitations for a wide range of applications, creating fibre-infused printed parts with increased functionality and a high-level of customisation.

AUTHOR BIO

Tiago Jeronimo is the Marketing Manager at Inoventive 3D Solutions, a full-service architectural scale model making company. Beginning with 2D and 3D architectural drawings, the company incorporates state-of-the-art SLA 3D printing to best construct your design. Inoventive 3D specializes in architectural models, including towers, corporate campuses, sites and educational models. They also specialize in stadiums, full-fledged city models and industrial models for trade shows.

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