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Abstract This study uses the Taguchi optimization methodology to optimize the fatigue performance of short carbon fiber-reinforced polyamide samples printed via fused deposition modeling (FDM). The optimal printing properties that maximize the fatigue limit were determined to be 0.075 mm layer thickness, 0.4 mm infill line distance, 50 mm/s printing speed, and 55 °C chamber temperature with layer thickness being the most critical parameter. To qualify fatigue endurance limit, the energy dissipation in uniaxial fatigue was quantified by using hysteresis energy and temperature rise at steady state. From these results, the fatigue limit for a specimen printed with optimized printing parameters was predicted to be 69 and 70 MPa from hysteresis energy and temperature rise at steady state methods, consecutively, and it was experimentally determined to be 67 MPa. This work demonstrates the effectiveness of the Taguchi optimization method when applied to additive manufacturing and the swift ability to predict the fatigue limit of a material with only one specimen to produce optimal additively manufactured components for industrial applications, as validated by experimental fatigue testing. 

A sensor for visualizing the fatigue load cycles was designed, fabricated, and tested. The sensor is made of a glass/carbon hybrid composite and utilizes the delamination length at the glass/carbon interface as an indicator for fatigue cycles. Appropriate design parameters were obtained by performing finite element analysis on the delamination development at the interface between the glass and carbon layers. Hybrid sensors with different carbon layer thicknesses were manufactured, attached to glass/epoxy substrates, and tested under fatigue loading. The predicted results based on the Paris law for crack extensions in one configuration are compared with the experiments for a different configuration to illustrate the efficacy of the approach. 

A method for detecting low-velocity impact damage in carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) is presented. It involves the use of the Impulse Excitation Technique (IET) and hysteresis loops to calculate the damping parameter of T700/NCT304-1 carbon/epoxy samples subjected to various low-velocity impact energies. The value of the coefficient of restitution (COR) is determined for each impact, ranging between 0.62 for the lowest impact energy to 0.48 for the highest one. The results reveal that a three-step increase in the damping parameter exists in all cases as the impact energy on the specimen increases. An abrupt jump in the damping parameter value is observed for impact energies exceeding ∼0.9 of the material's maximum capacity. Overall, at the highest impact energy equal to 3.65 J, the damping parameter increased by 43.3% compared to the pristine specimen. Additionally, two cases of cyclic tension-tension loading were applied to the specimens, with maximum stresses set at 150 MPa and 200 MPa. The measured values of plastic and elastic strain energy were used to determine the damping ratios. For both cases, the damping of the specimen subjected to the highest impact energy was ∼1.2 times greater than that of an intact specimen, with an increase pattern similar to the findings of the IET method. Optical microscope images of the specimens are provided to illustrate various damage modes observed in the composite materials. 

Abstract Four different experimental approaches for rapid estimation of fatigue limit (endurance limit) based on energy dissipation during cyclic loading are discussed. The presented approaches use energy dissipation and thermography and can reliably evaluate the fatigue limit of material by conducting the fatigue test on a single specimen. Results show that the released energy due to damage accumulation at the stress levels above the fatigue limit changes the trend of energy dissipation and that this trend can be used to predict the fatigue limit. Experimental results on CS 1018 and SS 304 specimens are presented to illustrate the utility of the proposed methods. 

A reliable approach based on an entropy-damage model for assessing remaining useful fatigue life is presented. Two damage models are presented and evaluated to assess their effectiveness in predicting remaining useful life. The first model focuses on reduced toughness caused by fatigue degradation, while the second is based on accumulating entropy during fatigue loading. The entropy-based approach employs infrared thermography to anticipate entropy accumulation and damage status. Outcomes reveal that the entropy-driven technique offers enhanced precision. Moreover, its damage growth rate remains consistent, regardless of the number of cycles leading to failure, ensuring a more stable tracking of damage evolution. It successfully predicts the remaining useful life and can treat variable load sequencing without knowing the loading history. An extensive set of experimental results with carbon steel 1018 are presented to illustrate the utility of the approach.