I-Corps: Axial Lattice Extrusion Technology

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一种碳纤维复合材料3D打印工艺，可以生产高强度、轻量化的部件。虽然到目前为止，塑料3D打印主要是作为一种原型工具存在，但它的用途可以扩大，以实现按需制造和定制工业轻型结构。这项拟议的技术将解决目前聚合物3D打印工艺的局限性(速度极慢、机械性能差、材料成本高)，以提高制造经济性；它可以用于工业级机器和业余爱好者。这个i-Corps项目是基于轴向格子挤压(ALE)3D打印技术的开发。传统的3D打印工艺通过在另一层材料上重复打印一层平面材料来制造零件。对于高强度、轻质工程蜂窝结构的生产，传统的3D打印方法效率极低(缓慢)，并且产生非常脆弱的结构。相比之下，ALE工艺允许使用非平面3D刀具路径制造高强度、轻型工程的网格结构。这是通过使用计算几何学、带有选择性材料冷却的数字过程控制和先进材料的组合来实现的。这使得制造零件的时间只需传统3D打印所需时间的一小部分，同时使用的材料最多减少50%。这降低了成本，同时保持了最终用途应用的实力。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a carbon-fiber composite 3D printing process that produces high-strength, lightweight components. While 3D printing with plastics has existed mostly as a prototyping tool thus far, its use can be expanded to enable on-demand manufacturing and custom industrial lightweight structures. The proposed technology will address limitations of current polymer 3D printing processes (extremely slow speed, poor mechanical properties, high material costs) to improve manufacturing economics; it can be used for industrial-grade machines and hobbyists alike. This I-Corps project is based on the development of an axial lattice extrusion (ALE) 3D printing technology. Conventional 3D printing processes make parts by repeatedly printing one planar layer of material on top of another. For production of high-strength, lightweight engineered cellular structures, the conventional 3D printing approach is extremely inefficient (slow) and produces very weak structures. In contrast, the ALE process allows fabrication of high-strength, lightweight-engineered lattice structures using non-planar 3D toolpaths. This is made possible using a combination of computational geometry, digital process controls with selective material cooling, and advanced materials. This enables parts to be made in a fraction of the time needed with conventional 3D printing while using up to 50% less material. This lowers costs while maintaining strength for end-use applications.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.