Fiber Traction Printing: A 3D Printing Method of Continuous Fiber Reinforced Metal Matrix Composite

A novel metal matrix composite freeform fabrication approach, fiber traction printing (FTP), is demonstrated through controlling the wetting behavior between fibers and the matrix. This process utilizes the fiber bundle to control the cross-sectional shape of the liquid metal, shaping it from circular to rectangular which is more precise. The FTP process could resolve manufacturing difficulties in the complex structure of continuous fiber reinforced metal matrix composites. The printing of the first layer monofilament is discussed in detail, and the effects of the fibrous coating thickness on the mechanical properties and microstructures of the composite are also investigated in this paper. The composite material prepared by the FTP process has a tensile strength of 235.2 MPa, which is close to that of composites fabricated by conventional processes. The complex structures are printed to demonstrate the advantages and innovations of this approach. Moreover, the FTP method is suited to other material systems with good wettability, such as modified carbon fiber, surfactants, and aluminum alloys.