Analysis of longitudinal and innovative transversal 3D printed lattice tubular braid textures subjected to internal compression as reinforcement

The longitudinal tubular braid texture (maypole braid) is an important texture in industrial textiles with extensive applications for composites reinforcement as a continuous form in a continuous process. This texture has a high strength in the longitudinal direction, while it is weak in its circumferential direction. The present work is to introduce an innovative structure named transversal tubular braid texture, whose structure is formed by the combination of braid and Leno technique in order to eliminate the weakness of longitudinal tubular braid texture and subsequently resist to the internal compression in its composite. Considering the complex production process of the introduced texture, prior to design a machine for its production, the structures of longitudinal and transversal tubular braid texture samples were produced as longitudinal and transversal lattice tubular braid textures using a 3D printer with the fused deposition modeling method in order to analyze and compare their mechanical properties. The required textures were primarily simulated by Rhino Ceros software and their lattice model data were transferred to the 3D printer. The produced tubular lattice samples were assessed by the standard Split Disk Mechanical Test for obtaining their hoop stresses. The hoop modulus of elasticity in transversal lattice tubular braid texture was approximately 120 times the longitudinal lattice tubular braid texture specimens. This suggests the proper design of this structure and resolves the weakness of longitudinal lattice tubular braid textures. The theoretical analysis of longitudinal and transversal lattice tubular braid textures was done by ANSYS software employing the data from the simulation software. The experimental results adequately correlated with the output results from the finite element analysis of the structures. This research work ensured that the mechanical strength of the introduced texture is desired to be produced continuously by a specially designed machine and used to reinforce tubular composites in an industrial continual process as the further work to be applied for high pressure fluids flows.