Advanced printing: 3D printing technology for high-strength parts is being developed in Russia

Bauman Moscow State Technical University is developing a domestic technology that will make it possible to create lighter and more durable products for aviation, robotics and industry. Unlike traditional 3D plastic printing, the new approach involves reinforcing products with continuous carbon fiber. This increases their strength, load resistance and reduces deformation. Such materials can be used in the manufacture of brackets, fairings, interior elements, antenna holders, chassis components, as well as parts for drones and spacecraft. At the same time, specialists are creating prototypes of equipment for a new production method. At the same time, experts note that it is premature to talk about the complete displacement of traditional methods: to implement the technology, a number of issues related to materials and testing of finished products will have to be resolved.

Efficient and affordable 3D printing

Russian scientists have found a way to add a specialized carbon-filled filament to the 3D printing process. Its use opens up new possibilities for additive manufacturing, since such a fiber takes on the main mechanical load, and the polymer acts as a binder. The new approach makes it possible to print functional loaded parts with a pre-calculated laying of reinforcing material and to produce large products with high precision due to reduced shrinkage and warping during cooling.

—Carbon fibers significantly increase the tensile and bending strength, as well as increase the rigidity of the product — the part deforms less under load," said Vyacheslav Bogachev, head of the laboratory at the NTI Center for Digital Materials Science: New Materials and Substances at the Bauman Moscow State Technical University.

According to him, the technology is most in demand in the aviation and space industries, where reducing the mass of structures directly affects the efficiency of technology. Such materials can be used to make brackets, fairings, interior elements, antenna holders, chassis components, parts for drones and satellites. In addition, the combination of additive manufacturing with topological optimization makes it possible to further reduce the weight of products without loss of strength. And sometimes carbon—filled filaments, especially those based on high-temperature polymers like PEEK, are used for parts operating in extreme conditions - that is, where conventional plastics degrade rapidly.

— Today it is impossible or extremely problematic to produce parts with complex internal geometries that require increased strength. For example, enclosures with integrated cooling channels and lattice inserts to reduce weight without loss of rigidity. Such a complex internal architecture can often not be printed with ordinary plastic without massive supports, which are difficult to remove later, and the part itself will turn out to be either fragile or too heavy," the expert explained.

He added that existing technologies limit the creation of highly loaded parts in individual manufacturing. This applies, for example, to specialized grippers for robotic systems, fasteners in the aerospace industry, as well as parts for prototypes of equipment that must withstand repeated cyclic loads.

According to Vyacheslav Bogachev, the development is still at the stage of creating equipment: printers capable of working with continuous carbon fiber exist only in the form of prototypes. Therefore, before the start of mass production of functional products, it is necessary to go through the stages of testing, technology development and equipment refinement.

At the same time, the specialist believes that the successful implementation of the project will be a qualitative step forward in the field of additive manufacturing of products made of polymer composite materials.

The development is carried out within the framework of the national project on ensuring technological leadership "Means of production and automation".

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A printer for any task

The development has a high industrial potential, as it simultaneously increases the strength, reduces the weight of products and maintains high manufacturing accuracy, says NTI expert on new materials and technologies Evgeny Vishnevsky.

— Carbon fiber in such a material works as an amplifier: it increases the strength of the part, increases its rigidity and reduces deformation during cooling. This is especially important when you need to print not just a layout, but already a functional thing that should really work," the expert noted.

According to him, such printing can have the greatest effect in aviation, the space industry, robotics, the production of drones and industrial equipment. At the same time, it is too early to talk about the complete displacement of traditional methods: issues related to equipment, materials and testing of parts for critical components have to be resolved.

Sergey Varnavsky, a specialist in engineering and technical expertise, also considers the direction promising, although it is at an early stage of development.

— The main task now is to create a workable prototype printer that can integrate continuous carbon filament directly into the printing process. It may take 3-4 years," he stressed.

According to experts, the development of domestic materials and equipment for printing composites will not only expand the possibilities of additive manufacturing, but will also be an important step towards the technological independence of high-tech sectors of the domestic industry.