A support structure of a 3D printer may include a printable surface that receives a heated bead of material and can support one or more extruded layers of material from the 3D printer. The support structure may include at least one inlet adjacent to the printable surface and one or more outlets that exit onto the printable surface. The one or more outlets are hermetically sealed to the inlet. The support structure may also include an injection mechanism operatively coupled to the at least one input.

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 method for pelletizing an extruded material with an extruding nozzle includes inserting the extruded material into the extruding nozzle so that the extruded material flows through at least one material-flow channel, extending through a radiator of the extruding nozzle. Heat is transferred between the extruded material, flowing through the at least one material-flow channel, and the radiator. At least a portion of the radiator is located within a housing of the extruding nozzle.

Silicone-containing light fixture optics. A method for manufacturing an optical component may include mixing two precursors of silicone, opening a first gate of an optic forming device, moving the silicone mixture from the extrusion machine into the optic forming device, cooling the silicone mixture as it enters the optic forming device, filling a mold within the optic forming device with the silicone mixture, closing the first gate, and heating the silicone mixture in the mold to at least partially cure the silicone. Alternatively, a method for manufacturing an optical component may include depositing a layer of heat cured silicone optical material to an optical structure, arranging one or more at least partially cured silicone optics on the layer of heat cured silicone optical material, and heating the heat cured silicone optical material to permanently adhere the one or more at least partially cured silicone optics to the optical structure.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to methods, devices, and compositions for 3D printing of piezoelectric devices. The piezoelectric devices can be used for sensor applications using poly(vinylidene) fluoride (PVDF) and BaTiO.sub.3 (BTO) nanocomposites through in-situ electric poling 3D printing process.

A printer system may include a coaxial extruder head that extrudes a core, a bulk, and/or a core and bulk cladding to form complex structures without retooling. The coaxial extruder head may include a distribution channel with an entrance and an exit, a priming chamber that surrounds the distribution channel. The priming chamber may include an outlet and a first inlet, a heating element thermally connected to the priming chamber, and a nozzle connected to the outlet of the priming chamber. Further, the nozzle may converge from the outlet of the priming chamber to an orifice of the nozzle. In addition, the exit of the distribution channel may be disposed at the orifice of the nozzle. This structure facilitates extruding a core and cladding type composite from the extruder head.

A secure extruder device includes a material delivery channel, a nozzle part, a parameter part, a thermal-control part, a material auto-destruction module and/or a parameter auto-destruction module. The material delivery channel is assembled with an extrusion part. The nozzle part is connected to the material delivery channel for ejecting material in the material delivery channel out. The parameter part provides parameters for a printing task to a microcontroller. The thermal-control part heats the nozzle part according to the parameters for the printing task. The material auto-destruction module destroys the material delivery channel after the printing task is completed. The parameter auto-destruction module destroys the parameters for the printing task after the printing task is completed. The microcontroller controls the extrusion part based on the parameters for the printing task so that the extrusion part delivers the material disposed inside the material delivery channel to the nozzle part.

An extruding nozzle is provided. The extruding nozzle includes a housing and a radiator. The radiator is at least partially disposed within the housing. The extruding nozzle also includes at least one material flow channel. The at least one material flow channel is at least partially disposed within the housing and extends through the radiator.

An apparatus for additively manufacturing an article comprises a heat block, a nozzle configured to receive a feed material in operable communication with the heat block, and a radiator configured to transfer heat from the heat block to an external environment by thermal radiation, Related tools for additively manufacturing a material in a vacuum, and related methods are also disclosed.

There is provided a die plate, a resin machine, and a method of heating nozzles of the die plate that can suppress temperature unevenness of the nozzles and increase the temperature rise performance of the nozzles. The die plate includes a nozzle group including a plurality of nozzles through which molten resin passes, and a heating medium guidance part that guides a heating medium for heating a nozzle wall of each nozzle. The heating medium guidance part includes an inlet that receives the heating medium, an outlet that discharges the heating medium from a heating medium channel, and a guidance wall that defines a heating channel that causes the inlet and the outlet to be in communication with each other together with an outer peripheral surface of the nozzle wall of each of the plurality of nozzles.