Research progress on optimization design methods for continuous fiber direction and path of composites

Continuous fiber reinforced composites have gained wide attention and application in high-end equipment fields such as aerospace, defense, and medical devices, due to their excellent specific stiffness, specific strength, and other properties. The fiber orientation has a significant impact on the mechanical performance of continuous fiber reinforced composites. However, due to the limitations of conventional manufacturing processes, the fiber paths are usually set along regular directions such as 0°, 45°, 90°, etc., which hinders the full utilization of the advantages of continuous fiber reinforced composites. Nowadays, the development of 3D printing technology has facilitated the manufacturing of composites with complex curved fiber paths, and the corresponding optimization methods for fiber orientation and path design have gradually attracted attention from experts and scholars worldwide. In this article, we focus on the optimization methods for fiber orientation and path design of fiber reinforced composites. We introduce the theory of orthogonal anisotropic material direction optimization, review the methods for fiber angle optimization, summarize the existing fiber path planning algorithms, discuss relevant cutting-edge issues, and provide future prospects. This review provides important information for the design optimization and manufacturing of high-performance continuous fiber reinforced composites, which will contribute to the rapid development and wide application of continuous fiber reinforced composites.