An additive manufacturing system operates an extruder to extrude a swath of thermoplastic material through at least two nozzles of the extruder to form a swath of thermoplastic material along a path of relative movement between the extruder and a platform. The speed of the extruder along the path corresponds to a predetermined speed selected with reference to an orientation of the extruder and the angle for the path of relative movement between the extruder and the platform. A controller in the system operates at least one actuator operatively connected to at least one of the extruder and the platform to move the at least one of the extruder and the platform relative to the other of the extruder and the platform along the path of relative movement at the predetermined speed to make the swath of the thermoplastic material contiguous in a cross-process direction.

A method and system are disclosed. A method of printing onto a base having an upper surface spaced from a lower surface by a base thickness includes dispensing a yarn from a nozzle of a printing system and selectively attaching the yarn to a first attachment region. The step of dispensing the yarn includes dispensing a heat-moldable material and a melt-resistant material. The step of selectively attaching the yarn to the first attachment region includes moving the nozzle into the first attachment region. The step of moving the nozzle into the first attachment region reduces the base thickness by a prodding distance. The heat-moldable material bonds to the first attachment region.

A blown film coextrusion line includes a support frame, a plurality of extruders each mounted to the support frame and extending upward at an angle, and a downward facing blown film coextrusion die connected to distal ends of each of the plurality of extruders and receiving individual polymer streams from them. The blown film coextrusion line is compact and sturdy and eliminates much of the floor space and towered mounting structure that was required for conventional blown film coextrusion lines.

A system is disclosed for three-dimensional (3D) printing of multi-directional woven components with hierarchical z-axis reinforcements using pre-impregnated FRP materials. The exemplary 3D printing system includes a primary extrusion nozzle system and a secondary extrusion needle system supported by a multi-axis truss. The primary extrusion nozzle system is comprised of at least two sub-extruders and rotation mechanisms for controllably rotating the extrusion nozzle and rotating the two-sub extruders. The extrusion nozzle assembly and the two sub-extruders can be controllably and independently rotated to extrude a braided yarn with a precise fiber-spacing. Additionally, a separate extrusion needle is provided for vertical interpenetration of the needle into the braided workpiece such that material can be extruded at precise depth through side-facing needle openings thereby providing z-axis reinforcement to the workpiece.

A device for influencing the volume flow of extruded plastically deformable material conveyed to an outlet nozzle. A flange arranged between an extrusion unit and an outlet nozzle and is connected to the extrusion unit and the outlet nozzle. A duct from the extrusion unit and the outlet nozzle is incorporated in the flange. A piston is mounted in the flange to be rotatable perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the duct and is located through the duct. In the piston there is a hole which opens into a bypass duct routed to a bypass nozzle. On the outer lateral surface of the piston there is at least one groove in the region of the duct so that, depending on the angular positions of the piston, material can be conveyed through the at least one groove to the outlet nozzle or through the hole to the bypass nozzle.

A supply of build material such as a spool or cartridge is instrumented with a data tag that includes information about the build material. A three-dimensional printer, or a tag reader in communication therewith (directly or indirectly), can read the information from the tag for a determination as to how to use the build material during fabrication of a three-dimensional object.

A supply of build material such as a spool or cartridge is instrumented with a data tag that includes information about the build material. A three-dimensional printer, or a tag reader in communication therewith (directly or indirectly), can read the information from the tag for a determination as to how to use the build material during fabrication of a three-dimensional object.

An extruder or other similar tool head of a three-dimensional printer is slidably mounted along a feedpath of build material so that the extruder can move into and out of contact with a build surface according to whether build material is being extruded. The extruder may be spring-biased against the forward feedpath so that the extruder remains above the build surface in the absence of applied forces, and then moves downward into a position for extrusion when build material is fed into the extruder. In another aspect, modular tool heads are disclosed that can be automatically coupled to and removed from the three-dimensional printer by a suitable robotics system. A tool crib may be provided to store multiple tool heads while not in use.

An extruder for additive manufacturing extends about, and along, a longitudinal axis and has an extrusion nozzle having a polygonal cross-section and a mounting member provided with: a ring configured to be mounted to a bearing coaxial to the extruder and allowing the rotation of the mounting member about the longitudinal axis; a hollow body arranged within the ring and configured to house, in part, an extrusion screw; and a plurality of spokes for connecting the hollow body to the ring so as to define compartments between the spokes-adjacent the hollow body and the ring.

A nozzle for producing material extrusion in a three-dimensional printer includes a shank including an internal flow passage, where the shank is constructed of a first material having a first thermal conductivity. The nozzle also includes a shank barrel mechanically coupled to the shank. The shank barrel is constructed of a second material having a second thermal conductivity. The first thermal conductivity of the first material is different from the second thermal conductivity of the second material to create a first heat break between the shank and the shank barrel, where the first heat break reduces heat transfer between the shank and the shank barrel.