Research on the Mechanical Properties and Process Parameters of High‐Speed FDM Printed PLA Components Reinforced With Continuous Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Resin Pins

ABSTRACT Fused deposition modeling (FDM) has become the most widely used 3D printing technology due to its advantages such as low cost, ease of operation, and material diversity. However, the slow printing speed of conventional FDM equipment and the inherent Z‐axis strength deficiencies caused by its fabrication characteristics limit its large‐scale industrial application. This study employs a high‐speed FDM system to investigate the relationship between the mechanical properties and key process parameters at printing speeds exceeding 300 mm/s. The mechanisms behind strength degradation in high‐speed printing are analyzed. To address this performance loss, a post‐processing method involving high‐performance epoxy resin infiltration and continuous carbon fiber (CCF) reinforcement is proposed. After post‐processing, the tensile strength of printed polylactic acid (PLA) increases by 145%, and the Z‐direction tensile strength improves by 252.17%. The strength of the treated specimens far surpassed that of conventionally printed samples, compensating for the performance loss caused by high‐speed printing and overcoming the inherent limitations of FDM technology.