Design and Fabrication Method of High-Precision and High-Strength Structures with Cellulose Nanofiber for Additive Manufacturing

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K06126
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Design engineering/Machine functional elements/Tribology
• Research Institution: Meiji University
• Principal Investigator: Tateno Toshitake 明治大学, 理工学部, 専任教授 (30236559)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 設計工学 / 機械工作・生産工学 / 構造・機能材料 / アディティブマニュファクチャリング / 積層造形 / セルロースナノファイバー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Cellulose Nano Fiber (CNF) is not only an environmentally conscious material derived from organisms but also has good performance in mechanical properties. On the other hand, Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a fabrication method that is fundamentally different from conventional manufacturing methods and has a possibility to realize environmental conscious object structures and fabrication methods. In this study, design and fabrication methods for AM using CNF material were considered. First, as a study on fabrication, AM method using continuous fiber like a string was proposed to effectively derive the strength of CNF material. For realizing the present method, studies on fabrication of CNF continuous fiber, AM using composite material, curved surface deposition were conducted with physical experiments using prototypes. Second, as a study on design, a design support software that simulates stiffness and strength of structures fabricated by the present method was proposed and implemented.

Free Research Field

設計工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

環境に配慮したものづくりへの世界的な要求が高まる中，本研究で扱うCNF材料を用いた積層造形は素材と製作の両方の観点から有益であり，社会的意義が大きい。また，CNFは木材からの生産が可能であり，森林の多い本国の産業活性化にもつながる。
学術的にも，本研究で扱った連続繊維を用いた積層造形は最先端の技術であるうえ，その連続繊維にCNFなど環境にやさしい材料を用いた研究例は世界的にもほどんど無く，新規性が高い。設計支援ソフトウェアの研究においても本研究で提案された積層造形の特徴を捉えた強度シミュレーションは新たな着想であり，学術的な価値が高い。