Performance and failure modes of continuous fibre-reinforced energy absorption tubes by cylindrical layered 3D printing

Precisely controlling the distribution of continuous fibres on a cylindrical surface is crucial for manufacturing high-performance continuous fibre-reinforced composite (CFRC) tubular structures. Existing manufacturing processes are complex, hindering the regulation of fibre orientation and content. Therefore, this study achieved unrestricted control of 3D-printed continuous fibres in terms of content and arbitrary orientation on a cylindrical surface using a cylindrical layered path planning strategy. The study investigated the impact of different fibre orientations and printing parameters on the compressive performance and energy absorption of 3D-printed CFRC tubes under quasi-static axial compression by analysing fibre distribution and failure modes. Compared to the flat layered printing strategy, the cylindrical layered printing strategy showed significant increases in compressive strength and energy absorption, by 44.3% and 85.2%, respectively. A cusp height analysis model demonstrated that the cylindrical layered printing strategy significantly enhances forming accuracy compared to the conventional flat layered method. The CFRC lightweight energy absorption tubes fabricated with this strategy demonstrated the viability of the manufacturing process. This new manufacturing technology has significant potential for producing high-performance and high-precision CFRC energy absorption tubes, applicable in aeronautics and astronautics.