Innovations in 3D Printing Flexible Objects

A porous structural body made of flexible resin or rubber configured to increase friction between split bone parts when compressed to deform. The body has a skeleton throughout with split bone parts that rub against each other when compressed. This increases friction compared to continuous bones. The split bone parts are non-parallel, inclined, or surrounded to enhance rubbing. The friction adjustment allows tuning dynamic characteristics like cushioning response.

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3D printing silicone elastomer articles with complex shapes using water-based supports that can be easily removed and recycled. The method involves 3D printing a silicone elastomer with a cross-linkable composition and support with a nano clay and water composition. The clay-water support is compatible with the silicone printing material and allows for printing complex shapes. The support can be dissolved and reused after printing.

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Body-mounted components like orthoses have improved flexibility and resistance to breakage when bent. The components are made by 3D printing using a resin material that has high elongation at break when stretched. This elongation property allows the 3D-printed parts to bend and stretch without breaking.

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3D printed structures made from liquid crystal elastomers that can change shape in response to environmental stimuli. The structures are printed using stereolithography and have segments in different orientations to enable 3D-to-3D shape change. To achieve this, magnetic fields control liquid crystal alignment during printing.

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3D printing of elastomeric rubber seals using a 3D printer with two print heads. The first head extrudes the rubber material, which is heated and mixed in an extruder like a screw to cure it partially. The extruder is also heated. The second head prints a support structure of a more rigid material around the rubber layers to prevent sagging. The rubber layers are printed on a heated bed.

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Flexible, expandable impeller for blood pumps that can be compressed for percutaneous insertion into a blood vessel and then expanded to generate a sufficient flow rate to sustain human life. The expandable impeller has blades that can fold radially towards the hub for storage in a small diameter tube. When deployed in a blood vessel, the blades can expand to a larger diameter and rotate to pump blood. The expandable impeller allows a compact insertion size while still attaining a full flow rate after deployment.

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An inflatable structure that retains shape accuracy and resilience when inflated. It has a flexible shell that collapses when uninflated and expands when inflated. Inside the shell are fibers that connect to the shell at various locations. When the shell is inflated, the fibers tension and constrain it to maintain a desired shape. This prevents deformations of the inflated structure. The fibers are non-tensioned when the shell is uninflated.

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The additive manufacturing method for customizing 3D printed footwear using selective powder deposition, curing, and shaping. The process involves spraying a liquid to coat select areas of a sheet, applying powder only to uncoated areas, and removing excess powder via suction. The sheets are stacked, compressed, heated, and cured. Uncured powder is removed, leaving a flexible, flat sheet that can be molded into a 3D shoe upper. The method allows different material properties in different areas of the product.

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Smart rings are wearables that have improved fit, charging, customization, and interactivity over conventional rings. The smart ring has a flexible body with removable parts that can be customized to fit the user's finger. Magnetic break-away portions secure the parts together, allowing the ring to be adjusted for a better fit. The ring can also have sensors, batteries, and other components to provide functionality like biometric tracking. The ring can be additively manufactured using 3D printing and scanning to create user-specific designs.

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A laser manufacturing method for making flexible sensors that can conformally attach to curved 3D surfaces. The method involves coating a laser-sensitive material directly onto the curved surface and then using a 3D dynamic focus laser system to pattern and cure the material into the desired flexible sensor structure. This allows the sensor to be manufactured directly on the curved surface instead of using transfer printing or splitting 2D patterns. The laser conformal manufacturing achieves precise sensor attachment to the curved surface.

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