ALF: Additive Layer Flexomer manufacturing

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Complex metal and polymer substrates produced in a digitised additive layer manufacturing workflow will be subjected to a new value adding digititised additive layer Flexomer process flow to improve the performance of current devices and enable entirely new high value products and sub-components. Composite, multi material elastomeric structures will be built up layer by layer on additively manufactured complex geometrical parts by accurate manipulation of deposition sources and substrates with computer controlled 6 axis robot arms and multi-axis work piece holders. Initial focus will be elastomeric structures which enhance osseointegration whilst providing potent antimicrobial function. Follow on applications will be new world components in space & aerospace, semiconductor equipment, sensors and instrumentation.... Flexomer materials developed from perfluoroelastomer will be tuned at their different stages in the digitised manufacturing workflow using high quality analytical tools. Fluids will be characterised using both rotational and extensional shear rheometry to build up the knowledge which relates particulate type and concentration in Flexomer fluids to the quality of the layer-by-layer deposition.Bond strengths of the additive layer Flexomer materials to the 'modified surface ' of additive layer substrates will be assessed using Instron peel testing equipment. Surface modification will be assessed using automated microabrasive powder blasting and high energy laser processing. The academic research team will assess two types of layer by layer deposition heads for highly accurate deposition of three dimensional structures. Firstly microsyringing will be optimised to define build Flexomer lines a fine as 0.1mm wide and microjetting will be optimised to create dots of 0.2mm diameter The aim of the research will be to help establish a UK owned digitised manufacturing technology which produces advanced additive layer elastomeric structures on high value additive layer components seamlessly. The design of the workflow will allow customer from different sectors to submit job files in established formats, interface with the workflow to determine type and location of the elastomeric additive layer structures, and commit to either free issue supply of additive layer substrates to the workflow or purchase full workflow manufacturing of advanced high value components.Global medical devices manufacturers pursuing next generation anatomically matched functional implants for human and veterinary will be the immediate commercial beneficiaries of the new digitised additive manufacturing workflow. The ultimate beneficiary will be the patients receiving implants with much reduced post implant complications.