Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), classified under material extrusion additive manufacturing technologies, is a widely used method for fabricating thermoplastic parts with high geometrical complexity. To improve the mechanical properties of pure thermoplastic materials, the polymeric matrix may be reinforced by different materials such as carbon fibers. FFF is an advantageous process for producing polymer matrix composites because of its low cost of investment, high speed and simplicity as well as the possibility to use multiple nozzles with different materials. In this study, the aim was to investigate the dimensional accuracy and mechanical properties of chopped carbon-fiber-reinforced tough nylon produced by the FFF process. The dimensional accuracy and manufacturability limits of the process are evaluated using benchmark geometries as well as process-inherent effects like stair-stepping effect. The hardness and tensile properties of produced specimens in comparison to tough nylon without any reinforcement, as well as continuous carbon-reinforced specimens, were presented by taking different build directions and various infill ratios. The fracture surfaces of tensile specimens were observed using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The test results showed that there was a severe level of anisotropy in the mechanical properties, especially the modulus of elasticity, due to the insufficient fusion between deposited layers in the build direction. Moreover, continuous carbon-reinforced specimens exhibited very high levels of tensile strength and modulus of elasticity whereas the highest elongation was achieved by tough nylon without reinforcement. The failure mechanisms were found to be inter-layer porosity between successive tracks, as well as fiber pull out.

Due to the developments and the interest of leading aerospace companies, additive manufacturing (AM) has become a highly discussed topic in the last decades. This is mainly due to its capability of producing parts with high geometrical complexity, short manufacturing lead times, and suitability for customization as well as for low-volume production. As is the case with aircraft fuselage body where weight reduction while keeping the demanding mechanical properties is of uttermost importance, modern technology applications sometimes need materials with unusual combinations of properties that cannot be solely provided by metals, polymers, or ceramics. In this case, composite materials combining two or more materials allow having the preferred properties in one material. Thus, AM of composites is becoming more and more important for critical applications. Fiber reinforcement can significantly enhance the properties of resins/polymeric matrix materials. Although continuous fiber composites even present higher mechanical performance, the manufacturing methods for chopped fibers are more commercially available. This chapter reviews the studies in the field involving many aspects spanning from design, process technology, and applications to available equipment.

In the last decade, customized design and small series production gained importance in various industries. The production of these special tools becomes one of the most important costs for the production process. With the advances in additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, tools can be produced efficiently in short lead times and costs with additive manufacturing. In this chapter, first, an overview on the additive technologies to produces tools, also called rapid tooling, will be given. The advantages as well as disadvantages will be discussed. Following that, on an example of metal forming tools, different materials coupled with different additive production techniques will be compared. Also, most important points will be highlighted to select the most appropriate tool material and manufacturing method. Finally, a methodology to identify the tool life will be suggested, and its validation and verification on a simplified deep drawing geometry will be depicted. The comparison of numerical prediction and experimental results are shown to be in good agreement.

Katmanlı imalat teknolojisi (additive manufacturing [AM]) sunduğu tasarım esnekliği, optimize edilmiş yapılar ve malzeme-ler ile ağırlık azaltımı, daha az parça ve birleştirme adımı, daha az atık, az sayıda üretim için daha kısa üretim süresi gibi teknik avantajlarla son yıllarda popüler hale gelmiştir. Geleneksel tedarik zincirinde devrim yapma potansiyeli ile öne çıkan katmanlı imalat süreçleri, merkeziyetçi olmayan üretim ve tedarik yapısı ile savunma sanayiinde de büyük bir potansiyele sahiptir. Bu makalede, eklemeli imalat süreçleri tedarik zinciri bakış açısından gözden geçirilecektir. Gelecekteki savaş ortam-larında değer zinciri senaryolarının katmanlı imalat teknolojileri ile ulaşabileceği potansiyel değerlendirilecektir. Makalede katmanlı imalat teknolojilerinin savunma ve uzay sanayiide kullanıldığı güncel örneklere yer verilirken, bu yöntemlerin daha da çok kullanım bulabilmesi için iyileştirilmesi gereken yönlerine de değinilmiştir.