Abstract:
A method and program for printing a three-dimensional part with an additive manufacturing system, the method including generating or otherwise providing strain data from a digital model of the three-dimensional part, orienting the digital model to align the directions of high tensile strain in a build plane, and printing the three-dimensional part in a layer-by-layer manner based on the oriented digital model with the additive manufacturing system.
Abstract:
A liquefier assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a rigid member having a gap, a liquefier tube operably disposed in the gap, one or more heater assemblies disposed in the gap in contact with the liquefier tube, and configured to heat the liquefier tube in a zone-by-zone manner, preferably one or more thermal resistors disposed in the gap between the rigid member and the heater assemblies, and preferably one or more sensors configured to operably measure pressure within the liquefier tube. The one or more heater assemblies may be operated to provide dynamic heat flow control.
Abstract:
A method and program for printing a three-dimensional part with an additive manufacturing system, the method including generating or otherwise providing strain data from a digital model of the three-dimensional part, orienting the digital model to align the directions of high tensile strain in a build plane, and printing the three-dimensional part in a layer-by-layer manner based on the oriented digital model with the additive manufacturing system.
Abstract:
A coil assembly comprising a coil of a strand-based material retained in a figure-8 configuration, and having an inner layer and an outer layer, where the inner layer of the coil defines a core region of the coil, and where the coil is configured to unwind loop by loop beginning from the inner layer and moving towards the outer layer as the strand-based material is drawn through a payout hole. The coil assembly also comprises a permeable hub configured to reduce payout entanglement of the strand-based material.
Abstract:
A ribbon liquefier comprising an outer liquefier portion configured to receive thermal energy from a heat transfer component, and a channel at least partially defined by the outer liquefier portion, where the channel has dimensions that are configured to receive the ribbon filament, and where the ribbon liquefier is configured to melt the ribbon filament received in the channel to at least an extrudable state with the received thermal energy to provide a melt flow. The dimensions of the channel are further configured to conform the melt flow from an axially-asymmetric flow to a substantially axially-symmetric flow in an extrusion tip connected to the ribbon liquefier.
Abstract:
An additive manufacturing system and process for producing three-dimensional parts, which includes forming layers of the three-dimensional part from a part material at a first resolution, and ablating selected voxels of the formed layers with a laser beam at a second resolution that is higher than the first resolution.
Abstract:
A large-scale additive manufacturing system for printing a structure includes an extrusion system and a knitting system. The extrusion system includes a nozzle configured to receive a supply of structural material and to selectively dispense the structural material in flowable form, and a first gantry configured to move the nozzle along toolpaths defined according to a structure to be printed such that structural material may be dispensed along the toolpaths to print a series of structural layers, wherein the series of structural layers bond together to form all or a portion of the structure. The knitting system includes a tow feeder configured to feed a supply of tow material to a location proximate a current course of loops extending above an upper surface of a current structural layer or extending above a base surface in regions where no structural layer has been printed, and a hooking device configured to engage the tow material and bring it through the current course of loops to form a subsequent course of loops interwoven with the current course of loops. A controller is configured to operate the knitting system to form additional subsequent courses of loops each interwoven with a current course of loops after each of the series of structural layers are printed, wherein the interwoven courses of loops create a reinforcement network of knitted loops embedded in the structure, and wherein the series of structural layers are tied together.
Abstract:
A filament feeding device includes a drive mechanism and a displacement sensor. The drive mechanism is configured to feed a filament along a feed path. The displacement sensor is positioned adjacent the feed path and is configured to determine a velocity and direction in which the filament is fed along the feed path based on at least two capacitance measurements that vary in response to movement of the filament along the feed path.
Abstract:
A liquefier assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a rigid member having a gap, a liquefier tube operably disposed in the gap, one or more heater assemblies disposed in the gap in contact with the liquefier tube, and configured to heat the liquefier tube in a zone-by-zone manner, preferably one or more thermal resistors disposed in the gap between the rigid member and the heater assemblies, and preferably one or more sensors configured to operably measure pressure within the liquefier tube. The one or more heater assemblies may be operated to provide dynamic heat flow control.
Abstract:
A liquefier assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a rigid member having a gap, a liquefier tube operably disposed in the gap, one or more heater assemblies disposed in the gap in contact with the liquefier tube, and configured to heat the liquefier tube in a zone-by-zone manner, preferably one or more thermal resistors disposed in the gap between the rigid member and the heater assemblies, and preferably one or more sensors configured to operably measure pressure within the liquefier tube. The one or more heater assemblies may be operated to provide dynamic heat flow control.