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DIY CNC Tape-Layer (Automated Fiber Placement)

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sanman

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2021
Messages
289
While 3D-printing has become all the rage for making various plastic parts at home, Automated Fiber Placement is one of the state-of-the-art industrial technologies for precision manufacturing of high-strength parts from composites, and has not yet reached the home/desktop.

https://markforged.com/resources/le...3d-printing-carbon-fiber-and-other-composites
Here's an example of a CNC tape-laying machine which lays down carbon fiber impregnated resin as a tape, and melts it into place:



Here's an example of a desktop tape-layer made by Desktop Metal, which does something similar:





So that model is still pretty expensive @ $4000

All over the internet we can see examples of projects for DIY 3D printers and other CNC machines, so I was wondering if there could be something similar for a DIY CNC tape-laying machine.
A cheaper device of this type of suitable size would enable home-builders to make their own aircraft parts out of fiber-reinforced composites.

Anyway, does anybody know of any projects for something like this?
 
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