Comparison of three-dimensional printed composite fabrics with different surface textures made with digital light processing and fused deposition modeling

Abstract

There is increasing interest in the development of functional composite materials in the field of textiles/clothing, and 3D printing technology has been researched widely to allow practical applications. Previous studies have proposed solutions to improve the adhesion of composite fabrics produced by fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology, but analysis of the adhesion characteristics of fabric composites manufactured by digital light processing (DLP) is insufficient. In this study, the DLP method was used to print rectangular patterns on four textured fabrics (woven polyester (PET), Velour, Fleece, Pleated), peeling experiments and mechanical property tests were conducted on 3D-printed composite fabrics, and these results were compared with those of the FDM method to analyze adhesion based on the surface properties of the fabrics. For composite fabrics printed using the DLP method, a liquid photosensitive resin penetrates the fibers, resulting in greater adhesion of composite fabrics and accuracy of printed patterns than those prepared using FDM. The DLP-PET showed the best mechanical properties in all groups. This research verified that adhesion can be improved by the 3D printing method and the surface characteristics of the fabric and presents a new method to prepare composite fabrics with improved properties.