Chopped or Continuous Fibers: Which Reinforcement to Choose for Composite 3D Printed Parts?

When specific or superior properties are needed in 3D printed parts, composite 3D printing is often used. The resulting parts are stronger than certain metals and offer high performance. Composites are defined as two materials that are combined to achieve new or improved properties as compared to those of the starting materials. As such, there are numerous composite materials, although in this case, the focus will be on composite materials that are formed by a polymer matrix and fiber reinforcement. In the 3D printing industry, carbon fiber, glass fiber and Kevlar are three of the most common fiber materials used for composites.

In this article we will look at 3D printing of chopped and continuous fiber reinforced composites.These two techniques give different results and are done with different technologies. Although, for both, the most popular material extrusion and therefore is the technology that will be most emphasized.But what, then, are the similarities and differences between these two techniques and how to choose the most suitable type of reinforcement for a specific application? Let’s take a closer look.

Photo Credits: Anisoprint

Characteristics of Chopped and Continuous Fiber Composite Materials

By chopped, or short, fibers we mean smaller pieces of fibrous material, the length of which can vary from centimeters to millimeters or even less. This is a process similar to that used to reinforce concrete with pieces of reinforcement. The fibers are dispersed in the plastic matrix and act as reinforcement throughout the material.