Additive manufacturing and composite recycling are two popular topics of discussion within today’s aviation industry. Although both additive manufacturing and composite recycling are not entirely new concepts, their popularity has only recently begun to gain momentum. Additive manufacturing such as 3D printing has been steadily gaining popularity [1] within the aviation industry due to its ability to quickly fabricate components, maintain low material waste, and low cost [2]. These benefits of 3D printing make it a popular technique for fabricating prototypes, molds, and production components. However, most of the 3D printed components require some form of post process machining before the 3D printed components or molds are ready for use. As the popularity of additive manufacturing continues to grow, increasing focus on creating a sustainable future has also led to the growing popularity of composite recycling. Many alternative methods of utilizing recycled composite materials are currently being evaluated [3]. In this pilot study, a team of Purdue University faculty and students has teamed up to investigate the machinability of 3D printed recycled carbon fiber. The specimens used for the study will be fabricated from a prototype 3D printed recycled carbon fiber part. Different combinations of machining processes will be tested on the specimens using computer numerical control (CNC) machining to determine the optimal machining process for molds fabricated using 3D printed recycled carbon fiber.
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