3D Printing of Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymeric Composites: A Review

Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) materials are extensively used in structural applications related to sports, defense, aerospace, and automotive-based industries. Due to their upper-level strength and lesser specific weight features, glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite materials, among other reinforced materials, have been progressively displacing traditional materials. GFRP has significantly superior fatigue resistance than metals, as well as stronger dampening qualities essential for vibration reduction and improved comfort. GFRP has lately been created to build high-performing composites and bring up new opportunities. It is the less expensive reinforcing choice under periodic loading circumstances, bends till final fracture, and is the most cost-effective reinforcing option. The current review concentrates on a brief background study of 3DP of GFRP in the form of a network diagram, a discussion of composites materials, techniques used of 3DP of GFRP, and a literature review that mentions a briefing of some papers related to GFRP 3DP with fused filament fabrication (FFF) printing technique. In the case study, the FFF technology has been used to construct tensile specimens of ABS/GF composites. The case study of the GFRP manufacturing by the FFF process has been validated with tensile testing and X-ray diffraction (XRD)-based analysis. The results of the study have been suggested the addition of glass fiber (GF) in ABS increases the tensile strength and reduces the crystallinity.