Optimization of Continuous Fiber Path Planning for an Additively Manufactured Open-Hole Specimen

This study presents a numerical method for optimizing the quantity and the placement of reinforcements along the principal-stress trajectories. The model representing carbon fiber composite structures consists of solids and embedded one-dimensional beam elements. Based on the Runge-Kutta method, the reinforcing structure is optimized considering the manufacturability of additive manufacturing (AM). For a case study, the optimization method is performed on an open-hole specimen. The Young’s modulus and the tensile strength of the optimized structure show an increase of more than 30 % and ~50 % in the simulation, respectively, compared to the reference specimen from another study. Robotic additive manufacturing is used to fabricate the specimen for experimental validation. The prediction of absolute values of tensile strength are reliable comparing to the experimental test, however, there is a deviation of more than 30 % in the linear-elastic behavior possibly due to the presence of voids in the printed part.