A method of additive manufacturing of un-vulcanized rubber includes providing a printing apparatus and providing un-vulcanized rubber to the printing apparatus. The method also includes warming the un-vulcanized rubber and pressurizing the un-vulcanized rubber provided to the printing apparatus to a pressure of at least 800 psi. The method further includes positioning a dispenser at a beginning of a series of motion control commands, dispensing the un-vulcanized rubber from the printing apparatus onto an area, and cutting the dispensed un-vulcanized rubber.

There is disclosed a multi-material extruder and extrusion method for 3D printing, and more particularly to an apparatus and method that is adapted to extrude a wide range of materials for printing 3D structures. In an aspect, the apparatus comprises a frame adapted to receive a removable syringe or cartridge with a depressible piston in an extended position, the syringe or cartridge containing material to be extruded. An extrusion motor is under the control of an extruder logic module to determine how quickly the piston of the syringe or cartridge is to be depressed to achieve a desired rate of extrusion of the material. A flexible length of tubing connects the tip of the syringe or cartridge to an extruder nozzle, which nozzle is mounted to a stylus which may be hand-held or mounted to a chassis of a 3D printing device. A feedback signal is used to provide a feedback signal to the extruder logic module to determine the rate of extrusion of material. The syringe or cartridge may include a label containing information on the type of material in the syringe or cartridge, and one or more extrusion parameters to be used with the material in the syringe or cartridge.

There is disclosed a multi-material extruder and extrusion method for 3D printing, and more particularly to an apparatus and method that is adapted to extrude a wide range of materials for printing 3D structures. In an aspect, the apparatus comprises a frame adapted to receive a removable syringe or cartridge with a depressible piston in an extended position, the syringe or cartridge containing material to be extruded. An extrusion motor is under the control of an extruder logic module to determine how quickly the piston of the syringe or cartridge is to be depressed to achieve a desired rate of extrusion of the material. A flexible length of tubing connects the tip of the syringe or cartridge to an extruder nozzle, which nozzle is mounted to a stylus which may be hand-held or mounted to a chassis of a 3D printing device. A feedback signal is used to provide a feedback signal to the extruder logic module to determine the rate of extrusion of material. The syringe or cartridge may include a label containing information on the type of material in the syringe or cartridge, and one or more extrusion parameters to be used with the material in the syringe or cartridge.

According to the present invention, provided is a foam molding resin containing low-density polyethylene, wherein a strain hardening degree of the low-density polyethylene is equal to or more than 0.40.

Methods of fabricating a hydrogel tube, and related systems, employ extrusion of a cross-linkable hydrogel solution from an annular outer nozzle of a nozzle assembly to form a cross-linkable hydrogel tube. The cross-linkable hydrogel tube is cured to form a cross-linked hydrogel tube. A second hydrogel solution can be coextruded via the axial inner nozzle to form an inner hydrogel filament coaxially positioned within the cross-linkable hydrogel tube. The cross-linked hydrogel tube can be functionalized with collagen to enable cell adhesion, and cells can be cultured on the luminal surfaces of these tubes to yield tubular endothelial layers. A 3D printed coaxial nozzle can be used to fabricate biofunctional tubular conduits that can be utilized for engineering in vitro models of tubular biological structures.

Methods of fabricating a hydrogel tube, and related systems, employ extrusion of a cross-linkable hydrogel solution from an annular outer nozzle of a nozzle assembly to form a cross-linkable hydrogel tube. The cross-linkable hydrogel tube is cured to form a cross-linked hydrogel tube. A second hydrogel solution can be coextruded via the axial inner nozzle to form an inner hydrogel filament coaxially positioned within the cross-linkable hydrogel tube. The cross-linked hydrogel tube can be functionalized with collagen to enable cell adhesion, and cells can be cultured on the luminal surfaces of these tubes to yield tubular endothelial layers. A 3D printed coaxial nozzle can be used to fabricate biofunctional tubular conduits that can be utilized for engineering in vitro models of tubular biological structures.

Compact, light-weight, handheld printer devices are capable of delivering multi-part materials in mixed form, with controllable dwell-time within the device to allow for a desired amount of physical mixing and chemical cross-linking, while also allowing for deposition of the material directly onto a deposition site. A pen-style printer having a slim but elongated form factor is particularly suitable for depositing biomaterials directly onto a surgical site in the throat. The device may be configured to receive and dispense materials directly from conventional syringes. The printer device may be configured for dispensing and mixing materials having two or more component parts, and may include a leadscrew mechanism providing mechanical advantage, for dispensing higher-viscosity materials, and/or an enhanced degree of precision in dispensing a quantity of material. The mixing time and quantities can be controlled by varying one or more of syringe size and/or injector passage size and mixing chamber length.

An apparatus for forming a ruffled moldable material includes: a body including an interior space and an extrusion opening that passes through from the interior space to an exterior of the body; and a ruffle formation structure that at least partially covers the extrusion opening, the ruffle formation structure including: a first side; a second side opposite the first side; a first edge attached to the body; and a second edge. In operational use, extruded moldable material is emitted from the extrusion opening along an extrusion direction, and the extruded moldable material interacts with the ruffle formation structure to form the ruffled moldable material by compressing at least some of the extruded moldable material along the extrusion direction.

An apparatus for forming a ruffled moldable material includes: a body including an interior space and an extrusion opening that passes through from the interior space to an exterior of the body; and a ruffle formation structure that at least partially covers the extrusion opening, the ruffle formation structure including: a first side; a second side opposite the first side; a first edge attached to the body; and a second edge. In operational use, extruded moldable material is emitted from the extrusion opening along an extrusion direction, and the extruded moldable material interacts with the ruffle formation structure to form the ruffled moldable material by compressing at least some of the extruded moldable material along the extrusion direction.

The instant invention describes an extruder for shaping clay or similarly pliable materials into desired shapes. The extruder comprises an operational section, a cassette, and a die. The operational section comprises a plunger, a means for controlling movement of the plunger, a means for supplying electricity, and a body to provide an exterior housing. The cassette, which is removably attached to the operational section, comprises a cavity for holding extrusion material through which the plunger will pass. The die comprises an aperture used to shape the extrusion material and is able to he attached to the cassette.