Laser-assisted material extrusion of high-performance composites using a modified desktop 3D printer

Purpose Material extrusion is a widely used additive manufacturing process for polymeric materials. As technology matures, research is being conducted to use it to print advanced and composite materials. Conventional desktop printers are generally inadequate for printing engineering and high-performance thermoplastic materials/composites because they typically operate at low temperatures. This study aims to present a modification to a traditional 3D printer to achieve adequate printing temperatures for carbon-fiber-reinforced polycarbonate. Design/methodology/approach The manuscript presents experimental results obtained with a conventional desktop 3D printer that has been substantially modified to enable printing of advanced composite materials. The most significant modification involves incorporating a laser preheating source to analyze how increasing the temperature may enhance bond adhesion between the layers. Findings Using a laser source for preheating increases the temperature of the printed part (substrate). Specifically, laser preheating raised the temperature above the glass transition temperature, thereby enhancing interlayer adhesion and improving the mechanical properties of the specimens. Specifically, the maximum force during tensile testing was attained for a laser power of 2.7 W. When the laser power exceeded 2.7 W, no improvement in tensile properties was observed. Moreover, preheating was found to enhance the stability of the printed specimens, particularly under conditions corresponding to the maximum applied force. Originality/value The use of preheating remains a relatively novel approach in additive manufacturing. In material extrusion, enhancing printers’ capabilities to process advanced materials that require high printing temperatures involves designing hot ends and enclosed processing chambers that can withstand and maintain the required thermal conditions. Moreover, research on materials such as carbon-fiber-reinforced polycarbonate remains scarce. In this work, the authors present an experimental study of an in-house modification to a commercial desktop 3D printer, conducted at the AIMEN Technological Center.