公开(公告)号：US20200324472A1

公开(公告)日：2020-10-15

申请号：US16380328

申请日：2019-04-10

Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION

Inventor： Eric G. Barnes ,  Pedro A. Gonzalez ,  Todd L. Szallay ,  Steven J. Floyd ,  Sung S. Park ,  Brett G. MORHAM ,  Cody J. Brown ,  Reese R. Allen ,  Ryan L. Bischoff

IPC: B29C64/209 ,  B29C64/118 ,  B29C64/241

Abstract: A printing machine for fabricating high performance 3D integrated composite structures. The machine includes a robot having a base portion, a robot arm and an end joint secured to the arm opposite to the base portion, at least one source of an extrudable material, and an end-effector mounted to the end joint. The end-effector includes at least one extruder module for extruding the extrudable material and a rotary assembly, where the extruder module includes a nozzle assembly for extruding heated material out of the end-effector. The extruder module is mounted to the rotary assembly and the rotary assembly is rotatable so as to rotate the nozzle assembly relative to the part without rotating the end-effector.