| Summary: | When 3D printing was first introduced, it was only used for design prototyping and parts verification. Its technologies have evolved over the decades and 3D printing now meets the demand for production of end-use parts in almost all industrial sectors. Selective Laser Sintering is part of the family of 3D printing, and it is the only one that has the capability to fabricate complex objects in a wide range of materials. One of which is the carbon fiber reinforced polyamide 12 composite which is commonly used in the automobile and aerospace industries. In this project, carbon fiber reinforced polyamide 12 composite was successfully printed via Selective Laser Sintering. Three different printing parameters, laser power, scan spacing and scan speed, were manipulated in an attempt to optimize the mechanical properties of the printed carbon fiber reinforced polyamide 12 composite parts. In addition, fiber weight contents of the composite were also varied at 10%, 15%, 20% and 30% as part of the optimization procedure. Thermal analysis techniques such as thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry were carried out to determine the optimum pre-heating and part bed temperature as well as the stable sintering region to ensure a smooth printing process in order to achieve printed parts with optimum mechanical properties. Finally, tensile tests were carried out for the printed parts, and images of the fracture surfaces’ microstructures were captured using Scanning Electron Microscopy. The tensile properties and microstructures obtained were then analyzed and evaluated to identify the most suitable printing parameters and fiber weight content for the printing of automotive applications.
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