CFRP 3D Printer: Application Examples

Introduction

The term carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) has become high-use jargon in recent years. While it has gained huge applause as a lightweight and strong substitute material to metal frequently, mass production and material or production costs remain a challenge. Let’s take a closer look at carbon fibers.

Overview

While the use of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) is expanding rapidly, there are still many issues in manufacturing complexity, material costs, and molding requirements that need to be addressed. In this issue, we will focus on examples of CFRP development using 3D printers.

CFRP Characteristics

CFRP is distinguished by “lightweight, strong, and non-corrosive” characteristics.

CFRP Manufacturing Methods

Although CFRP has various advantages, what manufacturing methods are utilized?

In this section, we will focus on two key topics: 1) Autoclave Molding as the leading molding technique, and 2) Prepregs, the core CFRP material used in Autoclave Molding.

Carbon & CFRP Autoclave Molding?

Prepregs: What are CFRP Prepregs?

CFRP Production and Development Using 3D Printers

If you read our previous articles, you already be aware of the manufacturing complexities and mold requirements involved. In this section, we will look at the development of 3D printers capable of continuous carbon fiber manufacturing using our C-FREX orthotic brace as an example. The C-FREX is a long leg brace exoskeleton that we developed for people with spinal cord injuries.

About the C-FREX

C-FREX stands for Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Exoskeleton, a long-leg orthotic brace that leverages CFRP’s advantages to better aid people with spinal cord injuries. The development spanned from 2014 to 2021 in collaboration with the Research Institute of the National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities (NRCD, Japan). The C-FREX is a breakthrough CFRP-based orthotic device designed to augment walking mobility and maintain physical functions in people with spinal cord injuries by enabling a similar gait to that of an able-bodied person without the use of external power.

Made-to-Order and Custom Devices

The primary factor prompting our use of 3D printers was the massive financial, human, time, and resource strain of made-to-order and mass-customization methods, where molds must be individually manufactured for general users. Such burdens increase the users’ costs, thereby limiting our production capacity.

Accelerating the Development PDCA Cycle

Development of the C-FREX meant we had to circulate through the development cycle—conceptual design, structural design, prototyping, and user testing—as quickly as possible. Even though we fabricated CFRP-use molds, created the CFRP product, and conducted user testing, there were still many minor adjustments each time. Consequently, during our regular business peak periods, we had no choice but to put such time-consuming development on hold.

With progression slowing beyond what we imagined, we decided to introduce a Markforged 3D printer. This allowed us to quickly verify prototypes and accelerate development by enabling continuous production of high-strength carbon fiber without affecting our core business and at low costs.

3D Printer Component Diversification

In the end, we adopted a range of 3D-printed CFRP in all areas where the size and rigidity varied from user to user, including support sections that functioned adequately with conventionally manufactured CFRP.

Development Completion in 2021

After eight years of development, since commencement in 2014, we successfully completed a functional prototype that fulfilled all the targeted functions. Completion was just in time for its unveiling at the Torch Relay for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games/Paralympic Games.

Summary

In this issue, we focused on carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) using 3D printers, referred to as 3D-printed CFRP. As an advanced material with limited available information, it is hard to get an informed insight. 3D printers still lack the same degree of freedom in design as conventionally fabricated CFRP due to limitations of shapes and resin used as a matrix. That said, we believe that future technological advances and material development will eventually replace conventional CFRPs, to some extent, and we are currently developing direct product modeling technologies alongisde jigs and tools that will further expand CFRP applications.

UCHIDA's equipment

We have cutting-edge equipment to ensure that we can address even the most advanced challenges of our customers.

DMG森精機 - VS1000/40/2050
X軸：2,050mm（ストローク） ／ Y軸：1,000mm ／ Z軸：600mm ／ テーブル作業面：2,250×1,000mm

ASHIDA MFG Co., Ltd.
Autoclave Oven 2
Size : Ø1,150x1,000mm / Operating temperature : at normal temperature - 400℃ / Design pressure : 2.0Mpa (maximum working pressure) / Vacuum system : back suction system / Vacuum units : 5

ASHIDA MFG Co., Ltd.
Autoclave Oven 3
Size : Ø3,000x6,000mm / Operating temperature : at normal temperature - 200℃ / Distribution accuracy : ±2.5℃less / Heating rate : 4.0℃/min. (empty furnace) / Cooling rate : 4.0℃/min. (empty furnace) / Design pressure : 0.99Mpa (maximum working pressure) / Working pressure : 0.7Mpa less (if no specification from the manufacuturer 0.3Mpa around) / Pressure accuracy : ±0.02Mpa（for pressure setting of ０ - 0.99Mpa/cm²） / Boost pressure accuracy : 0 - 0.03Mpa/min / Pressure source : compressed air (regular use) / Vacuum system : back suction system / Vacuum units : 10

Oven
Size : W1,000xH1,000xD1,000mm / Temperature range : Environmental Temperature +20 - 300℃ / Temperature elevation capability : Environmental Temperature (20 - 40℃) - 300℃ / 45min less / Vacuum system : back suction system / Vacuum units : 10

ESPEC CORP.
Temperature & Humidity Chamber

INSTRON
Static Universal Testing Machine 5985

Oven
Size : W7,000xH3,000xD2,000mm / Temperature range : Environmental Temperature +20 - 300℃ (Max) / Temperature elevation capability : Environmental Temperature (20 - 40℃) - 300℃ / 60min less / Vacuum system : back suction system / Vacuum units : 10

NEO
X axis : 4,000mm (stroke) / Y axis : 2,000mm / Z axis : 1,200mm / C axis : 0° - ±270° / B axis : 0° - ±110° / Table working place : 4,000x2,000mm

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Painting booth
Various painting, and clear finish is done in dedicated painting booth

Adhesion, Finishing, Coating Room
Finishing process, such as trimming, drilling, and bonding, surface treatment of the molded product type and is done in a private booth

Toshiba Matrixeye EX (Ultrasonic flaw detector)
Matrix-Arrey : 32

AMETEK CREAFORM Metra
SCAN750 Elite (3D scan)

Olympus Corp.
Inverted Microscopes

Oven
Size : W450xH450xD450mm / Temperature range : Environmental Temperature +20 - 650℃ / Temperature elevation capability : Environmental Temperature+50 - 650℃/120min less

Cutting Plotter Table working place : W1,500xL3,500mm

SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD
Cutting Plotter

KUKA
Robot

Krauss Maffei
Epoxy resin injection machine Resin 60L ／ Hardener 25L

Krauss Maffei
630t Press machine Height total 5,200mm ／ Length max 1,500mm ／ Width max 1,200mm ／ Whole cycle time per component part 240sec

DMG森精機 - NV5000B/40
X軸：1,020mm（ストローク） ／ Y軸：510mm ／ Z軸：510mm ／ テーブル作業面：1,320×600mm

Big sized clean room
JIS B 9920 cleanliness class maximum concentration (Pcs/m³） / Class 5 : 100,000m³ / Capacity : m² (16,000x16,000mm) 760m² (16,000x16,000x3,000mm) / Temperature and humidity condition : Temperature : 23℃±3℃, Humidity 65% less / Ambient conditions : Temperature 35℃ during summer, Humidity 70% less / Ambient conditions : Temperature 35℃ during summer, Humidity 70% less / Temperature -5℃ during winter, Humidity 40% less

CAD / CAM
CATIA V5 : 2 / THINK DESIGN : 1 / MASTER CAM : 4 / Other 3D/CAD : 3 / Other 2D/CAD : 5

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