Additive Manufacturing of Polymer-Based Advanced Composites: Mechanical Properties and Performance Evaluation

Year : 2026 | Volume : 14 | Special Issue 02 | Page : 1326 1335
    By

    M. Bala Theja,

  • K. Hema Chandra reddy,

  • S. Gouse Seema Bagum,

  • GV Satyanarayana,

  1. Associate Professor, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Santhiram Engineering College (Autonomous), Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh, India
  2. Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, JNTUA College Of Engineering, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, India
  3. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, JNTUA College Of Engineering, Kalikiri, Andhra Pradesh, India
  4. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering Rajeev Gandhi Memorial College of Engineering and Technology, Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

Fabrication of large-scale and geometrically complex polymer-based advanced composites via fused deposition modelling (FDM) has been shown to be a promising technology for the production of such materials, however there are challenges in using short carbon fibre-reinforced polylactic acid (CF-PLA) which include obtaining high mechanical performance and maintaining dimensional accuracy with dynamic robot motion and complex interactions occurring between process parameters. The conventional approaches are mostly static feed rates or the setting optimized for the desktop setting, which cannot consider the robotic kinematics, causing the extrusion inconsistencies, flexural strength decrease and inefficient production. The purpose of this study is therefore to overcome these limitations and present an integrated approach to a feed rate calculation based on a volumetric model, Taguchi experimental design and statistical optimization which is implemented within a cyber-physical control architecture. The method allows for synchronized robot movements and material deposition and can be systematically optimized with layer thickness, nozzle temperature, printing speed and raster orientation. Experimental validation of PLA-CF specimens showed that the proposed method obtained a maximum flexural strength of 81.4 MPa which is significantly better than baseline and lower wall thickness deviation and porosity. The mechanical performance and process efficiency were best obtained if the mechanical 0.1 mm layer thickness, 210 °C nozzle temperature, 30 mm/s printing speed and 0° raster orientation were used. These results provide a valuable guide for the use of such high-performance advanced polymer materials in applications that demand high quality, reliable additive manufacturing, and prove a practical and reproducible approach to improving the structural integrity and manufacturing reliability of robotically printed FRCs.

Keywords: PLA-CF Composite, Parameter Optimization, Feed Rate Control, Experimental Optimization, Mechanical Evaluation.

[This article belongs to Special Issue under section in Journal of Polymer & Composites (jopc)]

How to cite this article:
M. Bala Theja, K. Hema Chandra reddy, S. Gouse Seema Bagum, GV Satyanarayana. Additive Manufacturing of Polymer-Based Advanced Composites: Mechanical Properties and Performance Evaluation. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(02):1326-1335.
How to cite this URL:
M. Bala Theja, K. Hema Chandra reddy, S. Gouse Seema Bagum, GV Satyanarayana. Additive Manufacturing of Polymer-Based Advanced Composites: Mechanical Properties and Performance Evaluation. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(02):1326-1335. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jopc/article=2026/view=246300


References

[1]      M. Csekei et al., “Optimization of Feed Rate in FDM Robotic Additive Manufacturing (RAM) for Thin-Walled Structures: System Architecture and Experimental Validation,” IEEE Access, vol. 13, pp. 207063–207083, 2025, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3639496.

[2]      T. L. Liu, P. C. Chen, Y. H. Chao, and K. C. Huang, “A Cyber-Physical Integrated Framework for Developing Smart Operations in Robotic Applications,” Electronics 2025, Vol. 14, Page 3130, vol. 14, no. 15, p. 3130, Aug. 2025, doi: 10.3390/ELECTRONICS14153130.

[3]      E. Kassegn, A. Haile, and F. Desplentere, “Experimental investigation on flexural properties of PLA composites reinforced with sisal fiber under varying conditions,” Composites Part C: Open Access, vol. 20, Jul. 2026, doi: 10.1016/J.JCOMC.2026.100739.

[4]      A. S. Mosallam, N. Arreda, H. Isksioui, H. Boutahri, A. L’kadiba, and H. Elmoussami, “FDM Process Parameters Impact on Roughness and Dimensional Accuracy of PLA Parts,” Engineering Proceedings 2025, Vol. 112, Page 6, vol. 112, no. 1, p. 6, Oct. 2025, doi: 10.3390/ENGPROC2025112006.

[5]      M. Csekei et al., “Optimization of Feed Rate in FDM Robotic Additive Manufacturing (RAM) for Thin-Walled Structures: System Architecture and Experimental Validation,” IEEE Access, vol. 13, pp. 207063–207083, 2025, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3639496.

[6]      A. De Marzi, M. Vibrante, M. Bottin, and G. Franchin, “Development of robot assisted hybrid additive manufacturing technology for the freeform fabrication of lattice structures,” Addit. Manuf., vol. 66, p. 103456, Mar. 2023, doi: 10.1016/J.ADDMA.2023.103456.

[7]      F. Insero, V. Furlan, and H. Giberti, “Non-planar slicing for filled free-form geometries in robot-based FDM,” J. Intell. Manuf., vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 833–851, Feb. 2025, doi: 10.1007/S10845-023-02250-W.

[8]      A. Lakkundi, M. Shivaprasad, and S. M. Meena, “Real-time warping detection in fused deposition modeling using deep learning-based vision models,” Eng. Appl. Artif. Intell., vol. 171, p. 114246, May 2026, doi: 10.1016/J.ENGAPPAI.2026.114246.

[9]      A. Rabinowitz, P. M. DeSantis, C. Basgul, H. Spece, and S. M. Kurtz, “Taguchi optimization of 3D printed short carbon fiber polyetherketoneketone (CFR PEKK),” J. Mech. Behav. Biomed. Mater., vol. 145, p. 105981, Sep. 2023, doi: 10.1016/J.JMBBM.2023.105981.

[10]    N. Layeb, I. Oldal, and L. Zsidai, “Flexural strength evolution of 3D printed PLA-CF structures: optimization of FDM parameters for enhanced mechanical performance,” Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Engineering 2026 21:1, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 48-, Feb. 2026, doi: 10.1186/S40712-026-00424-X.

[11]     F. J. Martínez-Peral, J. B. Méndez, D. Mronga, J. V. Segura-Heras, and C. Perez-Vidal, “Trajectory planning system for bimanual robots: Achieving efficient collision-free manipulation,” Rob. Auton. Syst., vol. 194, p. 105118, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.1016/J.ROBOT.2025.105118.

[12]    I. Mitropoulou, M. Bernhard, and B. Dillenburger, “Curvature-informed paths for shell 3D printing,” Autom. Constr., vol. 171, Mar. 2025, doi: 10.1016/J.AUTCON.2025.105988.

[13]    I. Fidan et al., “The trends and challenges of fiber reinforced additive manufacturing,” International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, vol. 102, no. 5–8, pp. 1801–1818, Jun. 2019, doi: 10.1007/S00170-018-03269-7.

[14]    P. K. Verma and H. Vasudev, “Robotic-Enabled Design and Additive Manufacturing,” pp. 143–179, 2026, doi: 10.1007/978-3-032-19829-7_9.

[15]    U. I. Cicek and A. A. Johnson, “Multi-objective optimization of FDM process parameters for 3D-printed polycarbonate using Taguchi-based Gray Relational Analysis,” The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology 2025 137:7, vol. 137, no. 7, pp. 3709–3725, Mar. 2025, doi: 10.1007/S00170-025-15392-3.

[16]    N. Vidakis, M. Petousis, M. Spiridaki, N. Mountakis, A. Moutsopoulou, and E. Kymakis, “Optimization of critical process control parameters in MEX additive manufacturing of high-performance polyethylenimine: energy expenditure, mechanical expectations, and productivity aspects,” The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology 2024 132:3, vol. 132, no. 3, pp. 1163–1192, Mar. 2024, doi: 10.1007/S00170-024-13418-W.

[17]    N. Tushar, R. Wu, Y. She, W. Zhou, and W. Shou, “Desktop-scale robot tape manipulation for additive manufacturing,” Device, vol. 3, no. 1, p. 100555, Jan. 2025, doi: 10.1016/J.DEVICE.2024.100555.

[18]    R. H. Ibrahim and H. Salman, “Manufacturing of polymer-based composite material by FDM: challenges and opportunities for functional parts design,” Next Materials, vol. 10, p. 101571, Jan. 2026, doi: 10.1016/J.NXMATE.2025.101571.

[19]    A. Karimi, D. Rahmatabadi, and M. Baghani, “Various FDM Mechanisms Used in the Fabrication of Continuous-Fiber Reinforced Composites: A Review,” Polymers 2024, Vol. 16, Page 831, vol. 16, no. 6, p. 831, Mar. 2024, doi: 10.3390/POLYM16060831.

[20]     Ayrilmis N., Kanat G., Yildiz Avsar E., Palanisamy S., Ashori A. Utilizing waste manhole covers   and fibreboard as reinforcing fillers for thermoplastic composites. Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites. 2024. doi:10.1177/07316844241238507.

[21]   Almeshaal M., Palanisamy S., Murugesan T.M., Palaniappan M., Santulli C. Physico-chemical characterization of Grewia Monticola Sond fibers for prospective application in biocomposites. Journal of Natural Fibers. 2022. doi:10.1080/15440478.2022.2123076.

[22]  Palanisamy S., Mayandi K., Palaniappan M., et al. Mechanical Properties of Phormium tenax        Reinforced Natural Rubber Composites. Fibers. 2021;9(2):11. doi:10.3390/fib9020011.

[23] Rajkumar R., Arumugam K., Palanisamy S., Ayrilmis N. Mechanical properties of epoxy  composites reinforced with Areca catechu fibers containing silicon carbide. BioResources. 2024;19(2):2353–2370. doi:10.15376/biores.19.2.2353-2370.

[24]  Palanisamy S., Mayandi K., Dharmalingam S., et al. Tensile Properties and Fracture Morphology   of Acacia caesia Bark Fibers Treated with Different Alkali Concentrations. Journal of Natural Fibers. 2022. doi:10.1080/15440478.2021.2022562.

Special Issue Subscription Review Article
Volume 14
Special Issue 02
Received 04/06/2026
Accepted 06/06/2026
Published 08/06/2026
Publication Time 4 Days
13

Login


My IP

PlumX Metrics