Techniques for Multi-Material 3D Printing

3D printing complex objects with multiple materials from a single extruder in a way that avoids the limitations of parallel feed methods. The series-enabled multi-material extrusion (SEME) technique allows 3D printing of objects with different materials without needing multiple extruders or parallel feeds. It involves sequentially feeding together sections of different material filaments into the printer extruder to create a continuous multicomponent filament. The printer toolpath is coordinated with automated filament splicing to change materials on the fly during printing.

Additive manufacturing by fused filament fabrication (FFF) of components using specialized filaments that contain binders capable of releasing secondary materials like metals or ceramics when heated above a conversion temperature. This allows the printing of composite parts using a primary material that can be sintered into a final component, while the binder releases additional materials during sintering to add desired properties like alloying elements or fillers. The filament may also include a sacrificial binder that can be fully removed after printing/sintering to create voids or channels.

Using a single printhead, 3D printing method, and multi-material and multi-scale 3D printing apparatus. The apparatus has a printhead with compartments for multiple materials and an agitator to mix them thoroughly. This allows jet printing of multiple materials from a single printhead. The printhead is mounted above a substrate, and relative motion in X, Y, and Z directions is used to print objects with controlled geometry and microstructures.

Bioprinter with multiple extruders to create organ-on-a-chip devices like lung-on-a-chip for drug testing. The bioprinter has a cabinet housing fixed extruders and a movable build plate mounted on XYZ stages. The extruders deposit materials like bioinks onto the build plate to create chips with microchannels and tissue scaffolds. The build plate movement allows layer-by-layer printing. The extruders can also be coaxial to print hollow channels. The chip can be seeded with cells and perfused to mimic organ function. The bioprinter enables automated manufacturing of organomimetic devices for drug testing and research.

High-resolution 3D printing over a large area using multiple materials involves using multiple printing heads, each covered in a different material, to print a multi-material sample. The heads have surrounding nozzles that pump resin to form a raised pool above the free surface. This allows subsequent layers to be printed without touching the vat's entire bottom surface. Suction nozzles between vats collect residual uncured material when the sample moves between materials.

Printing with multiple materials in 3D printers improves the quality of the finished objects. The method involves matching the support structure material to the object material at points where they touch and avoiding material changes within the supports. This ensures that the supports don't leave imperfections on the object when removed. The build material of the object is identified at locations where it contacts supports, and the supports are printed using the same material. This is done by analyzing the object model to identify where materials touch.

A 3D printing system capable of producing multi-material objects with multiple materials printed simultaneously using a plurality of printhead groups. The system has a distributed memory architecture with onboard memory in each printhead group to store layer data. This allows high-speed access to the voluminous data needed to print complex multi-material objects. The distributed memory eliminates the need for a centralized data store and enables printing large objects with many materials.

3D printing system that enables high-speed, high-volume production of customized objects. The system uses multiple printheads to print objects layer by layer simultaneously. This allows parallel printing of multiple layers to increase speed and volume compared to traditional 3D printers that print one layer at a time. These multiple printheads are configured to print different materials, cure temperatures, and curing methods.

An automated multi-material bioprinting system that uses a microfluidic device to integrate multiple bioinks into a stereolithographic printer. The microfluidic device allows rapid switching between bioinks with minimal cross-contamination. This enables the precise fabrication of 3D tissue constructs with multiple cell types and biologically active components. The microfluidic system prevents cell aggregation during printing and creates heterogeneous tissue-like structures.

Curing-on-demand (COD) multi-material 3D printing method for fabricating 3D objects using multiple materials. The method uses printhead devices with coating, curing, and cleaning sections to deposit, solidify, and remove uncured resin layers. Multiple printheads are combined in a printer to deposit different materials in each layer. A vacuum process cleans uncured resin after curing. The printheads are moved over the object and controlled by a computer program to perform the layer-by-layer selective coating, curing, and cleaning steps. The apparatus uses a build platform and light source along with the printheads.

Printing multi-colored 3D objects using fusing agents to heat and fuse colored powder-build material selectively. The additive manufacturing system deposits colored fusing agents matching subtractive colorants like magenta, yellow, and cyan. It also deposits a colorless UV-absorbing agent. The system uses monochromatic light sources to fuse colored areas selectively. A controller adjusts irradiation to compensate for different color intensities.

Producing multi-material components with additive manufacturing systems. The method involves identifying parameter models for each material, using observed data from gradient samples, and developing an algorithm that outputs optimal parameter values for each material. This allows controlling parameters like laser power and velocity to achieve desired component objectives when combining multiple materials.

Inks for 3D printing that have improved print through properties to achieve better accuracy in the 3D printed objects. The inks have a specific ratio of penetration depth to critical energy and contain non-curing absorber materials. This allows selective curing of the ink using a narrow wavelength range that minimizes print through. The ink composition ratios consist of up to 80% oligomeric curable material, 80% monomeric curable material, 10% photoinitiator, 10% non-curable absorber material, and 10% other components.

Additive manufacturing of multi-material 3D-printed parts uses controlled powder release from the nozzle to deposit powders selectively in each layer. A nozzle releases granular powder from a reservoir to form layers of a part. An excitation source applies a signal to the nozzle to control the powder release pattern for each layer. This allows printing parts with different powders in each layer. The powders can be selectively sintered to form the final part.

A device and method for additive manufacturing of multi-material objects using 3D printing. The technique involves using multiple tool heads with different compositions like cement paste, thermoplastic polymer, and elastomeric polymer. The tool heads can simultaneously deposit these contrasting materials to create structures with composite properties. The process involves adjusting parameters like speed and temperature to control material properties and enable compatibility between adjacent layers. A planning system determines the optimal toolpaths for depositing the various materials.

Roller-based deposition of multiple powders to fabricate hierarchical, graded materials like functionally graded objects. The powders are selectively adhered to treated regions on a roller surface. The roller transfers the powders to a substrate to build up layers of the graded material. The treatment of the roller regions induces affinity with specific powders.

Additive manufacturing of medical devices, such as catheters and leads, allows for a wider range of filament materials to create a wider range of resulting catheter or lead characteristics compared to existing techniques. The process involves feeding multiple filaments into a heated chamber, where they melt and mix before being extruded to form the device. The system can use filaments with different hardness levels to achieve variable stiffness over the device length.

A multi-material 3D printing system that can produce working objects requiring multiple materials and properties. The system uses distributed memory and simultaneous printing of multiple materials to create complex 3D objects. The distributed memory allows high-speed access to the large amounts of data required to print multiple materials simultaneously.