Strengthening of polylactic acid parts with carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite plates featuring single and double fabric layers in various orientations

This study investigated how coating the surfaces of three-dimensional printed polylactic acid (PLA) parts with carbon fiber fabric-reinforced polymer (CFRP) plates affects their mechanical behavior. The assessment was performed through tensile tests, three-point bending tests, and finite element method analysis. The goal of this study was to enhance the mechanical properties of PLA parts produced through fused deposition modeling (FDM) to expand their applicability in structures. CFRP composites were bonded to the 3D-printed PLA parts using epoxy to create sandwich-structured composite samples. The impact of composite coatings on the mechanical properties of 3D-printed PLA parts was examined in relation to fiber orientation angles and the number of coating layers. Mechanical tests indicated that the tensile and flexural strength of PLA parts coated with CFRP composite was higher than that of uncoated PLA material. In tensile tests, the maximum failure load of uncoated PLA specimens was 861.1 N, whereas the maximum failure load of a composite hybrid structural specimen—fabricated by bonding the PLA with a CFRP composite plate at a 0° orientation angle and employing a double layer of carbon fiber fabric—was 4265 N. Consequently, the increase in failure load was 395%. Finite element analyses simulating the tensile and flexural tests produced results that aligned with the experimental findings. Highlights: CFRP composite plates were fabricated with different ply numbers and fiber orientations. The hybrid structures were produced by bonding CFRP plates with 3D-printed PLA parts. Tensile and flexure tests were performed on hybrid composite structures. Reinforcing 3D-printed PLA with CFRP plates improves mechanical properties.