A liquefier tube for an additive manufacturing system, the liquefier tube including a body provided with a feed channel including a feeding portion having a first diameter, an outlet portion having a second diameter, the first diameter being larger than the second diameter, a transitional portion interconnecting the feeding portion and the outlet portion. The transitional portion has a monotonically decreasing third diameter from the feeding portion to the outlet portion and the third diameter as function of a longitudinal position of the feed channel in the transitional portion between the feeding portion and the outlet portion and at a transition between the transitional portion and the outlet portion is differentiable. Methods of manufacturing the liquefier tube.

Articles and methods for increasing the triplet upconversion threshold, e.g., by utilizing a triplet exciton acceptor lower in energy than the sensitizer or upconverter, are generally described. Some embodiments, for example, are directed to articles and methods that use a triplet sensitizer, an upconverter, and an acceptor to produce upconverted photons (e.g., light of a second energy). The light can be used to polymerize a polymerizable species. Other upconversion configurations can also be used in other embodiments. In some cases, this may allow true 3D printing to be achieved due to improved control of light absorption, e.g., without needing to “print” on a layer-by-layer basis.

A three-dimensional (3D) drawing device having a housing configured for manipulation by a user's hand and to accept a feed stock that is, in certain embodiments, a strand of thermoplastic. The drawing device has a nozzle assembly with an exit nozzle and a motor connected to a gear train that engages the strand of thermoplastic feed stock such that rotation of the motor causes the feed stock to be extruded out of the exit nozzle to form a three-dimensional object.

Described herein are portable apparatuses and methods of creating fibers, such as microfibers and nanofibers. The methods discussed herein employ centrifugal forces to transform material into fibers. Portable apparatuses that may be used to create fibers are described.

Described herein are portable apparatuses and methods of creating fibers, such as microfibers and nanofibers. The methods discussed herein employ centrifugal forces to transform material into fibers. Portable apparatuses that may be used to create fibers are described.

A method for fabricating an object using an additive manufacturing process. The method involves a computer-controlled apparatus including a fabrication head for selectively fabricating material and a build area for receiving the fabricated material, and comprises the steps of the apparatus receiving computer instructions relating to the object geometry, and moving the fabrication head and the build area relative to each other, and selectively operating the fabrication head, to fabricate at least one bead of material in the build area corresponding with the object geometry, whereby the at least one bead has non-uniform thickness.

An apparatus, system, and method utilizes at least two separate components during the process of producing the final product. At least one component during the process is produced using additive manufacturing, and additional components are components that are combined with the additively manufactured part. The apparatus, system, and method includes at least one energetic component and at least one second inert component. An additive manufacturing system produces a scaffold of said first energetic component(s). A system adds the second component(s) to the scaffold to produce the energetic material product.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a carbon nanotube dispersion, the method including mixing a dispersion solution including a dispersion solvent and a dispersant with carbon nanotubes to prepare carbon nanotube paste, extruding the paste to obtain solid carbon nanotubes, and introducing a second solvent to the solid carbon nanotubes, and homogenizing the carbon nanotubes, wherein the weight ratio of the dispersion solution and the carbon nanotubes is 1:1 to 9:1. According to the present invention, the mixing of a dispersant and carbon nanotubes is increased and the particle size is controlled by a wet method, so that a carbon nanotube dispersion having a viscosity controlled to a low level, excellent resistance properties, and a high concentration, may be provided.

In a method of manufacturing an object, a filament is fed to an extrusion head. The filament has a semi-crystalline polymeric reinforcement portion and a polymeric matrix portion. The temperature of the filament is raised in the extrusion head above the melting point of the matrix portion but below the melting point of the reinforcement portion so that the matrix portion of the filament melts within the extrusion head, thereby forming a partially molten filament within the extrusion head. The reinforcement portion of the partially molten filament remains in a semi-crystalline state as it is extruded from the extrusion head. Relative movement is generated between the extrusion head and the substrate as the partially molten filament is extruded onto the substrate in order to form an extruded line on the substrate. The matrix portion of the extruded line solidifies after the extruded line has been formed on the substrate.

A structure of aligned (e.g., radially and/or polygonally aligned) fibers, and systems and methods for producing and using the same. One or more structures provided may be created using an apparatus that includes one or more first electrodes that define an area and/or partially circumscribe an area. For example, a single first electrode may enclose the area, or a plurality of first electrode(s) may be positioned on at least a portion of the perimeter of the area. A second electrode is positioned within the area. Electrodes with rounded (e.g., convex) surfaces may be arranged in an array, and a fibrous structure created using such electrodes may include an array of wells at positions corresponding to the positions of the electrodes.