| Abstract Scope |
While current fused filament fabrication (FFF) processes are effective at producing rigid objects, many fibrous structures found in nature remain difficult to create, including bristles and human hair. In this work, we introduce two new processes to incorporate such fibers into existing FFF workflows: the bridging and extrude/pull methods. By modifying printing G-code to control the nozzle’s speed and extrusion, we add hair-like fibers to any existing design. Further, we demonstrate methods to tailor each fiber’s placement, thickness, and angle orientation. We showcase the print dimensional accuracy of these fibers and highlight their enhanced sound absorption performance at low frequencies. These novel processes allow us to produce fiber-enabled designs suitable for a plethora of applications, including fibro-porous sound absorbers, tensegrity-assisted inflatables, bio-inspired quiet propeller blades, and membrane-type metamaterials. Our processes demonstrate a promising future toward enhancing the design customization of FFF workflows. |