Potential Applications of Continuous Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing processes are attracting increasing attention in application fields of orthopedic technology. However, due to the comparatively low strengths of classic additively manufactured plastics, this application is mostly limited to low-loaded components. For highly loaded structures (e.g. orthoses for the lower extremities), CFRP is currently frequently used.
 
In this article, an overview of different automated CFRP processing methods and an assessment of their usability for orthopedic technology is given. In particular, continuous fiber-reinforced FDM—a relatively new process for additive manufacturing of CFRP components—is also classified in this overview, and the associated advantages and disadvantages are critically evaluated. Using the prototypical application of the process to manufacture a foot piece for external fixation, the technical possibilities are demonstrated using a practical example.

About Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Plastic

Carbon fiber-reinforced p