Abstract:
A large-scale additive manufacturing system (10) for printing a structure (17) includes an extrusion system (11, 12, 14, 16) and a knitting system (20). The extrusion system includes a nozzle (11) configured to receive a supply (14) of structural material and to selectively dispense the structural material in flowable form, and a first gantry (12) configured to move the nozzle (11) along toolpaths defined according to a structure (17) to be printed such that structural material (14) may be dispensed along the toolpaths to print a series of structural layers (231), wherein the series of structural layers (231) bond together to form all or a portion of the structure (17). The knitting system (20) includes a tow feeder (222) configured to feed a supply of tow material to a location proximate a current course of loops (31, 230) extending above an upper surface (244) of a current structural layer or extending above a base surface in regions where no structural layer has been printed, and a hooking device (228) configured to engage the tow material and bring it through the current course of loops (356) to form a subsequent course of loops (380) interwoven with the current course of loops (356). A controller (38) is configured to operate the knitting system (11, 12, 14, 16) to form additional subsequent courses of loops (380) each interwoven with a current course of loops (356) after each of the series of structural layers (231) are printed, wherein the interwoven courses of loops create (356, 380) a reinforcement network of knitted loops embedded in the structure (17), and wherein the series of structural layers (231) are tied together.
Abstract:
A large-scale additive manufacturing system (10) for printing a structure (17) includes an extrusion system (11, 12, 14, 16) and a knitting system (20). The extrusion system includes a nozzle (11) configured to receive a supply (14) of structural material and to selectively dispense the structural material in flowable form, and a first gantry (12) configured to move the nozzle (11) along toolpaths defined according to a structure (17) to be printed such that structural material (14) may be dispensed along the toolpaths to print a series of structural layers (231), wherein the series of structural layers (231) bond together to form all or a portion of the structure (17). The knitting system (20) includes a tow feeder (222) configured to feed a supply of tow material to a location proximate a current course of loops (31, 230) extending above an upper surface (244) of a current structural layer or extending above a base surface in regions where no structural layer has been printed, and a hooking device (228) configured to engage the tow material and bring it through the current course of loops (356) to form a subsequent course of loops (380) interwoven with the current course of loops (356). A controller (38) is configured to operate the knitting system (11, 12, 14, 16) to form additional subsequent courses of loops (380) each interwoven with a current course of loops (356) after each of the series of structural layers (231) are printed, wherein the interwoven courses of loops create (356, 380) a reinforcement network of knitted loops embedded in the structure (17), and wherein the series of structural layers (231) are tied together.
Abstract:
An additive manufacturing system (30) for printing three-dimensional parts (50), the system (30) comprising a heatable region (34), a receiving surface (36a), a print head (40) configured to print a three-dimensional part (50) onto the receiving surface (36a) in a layer-by-layer manner along a printing axis, and a drive mechanism (38) configured to index the receiving surface (36a) along the printing axis such that the receiving surface (36a) and at least a portion of the three-dimensional part (50) move out of the heatable region (34).