An automated fiber bundle placement apparatus including a placing head configured to place each of fiber bundles onto a placement die and including a plurality of conveying mechanisms each configured to convey the fiber bundle toward a pressing part configured to press the fiber bundles onto the placement die, a plurality of guidance mechanisms each including a guide roller for guiding the fiber bundle toward the conveying mechanism, and a frame attached to a multi-jointed robot configured to move the placing head and provided with the conveying mechanisms and the guidance mechanisms. The frame is constituted by a main frame part provided with the conveying mechanisms and attached to the multi-jointed robot and a sub-frame part provided with the guidance mechanisms and detachably attached to the main frame part.

An application head, comprising an application system, guiding means defining a guiding plane, a cutting system comprising a first cutting tool movable in translation and a second cutting tool, and a clamping system comprising a first clamping tool movable in translation and a second clamping tool. A first control means is able to displace the cutting tools together between initial and final cutting positions representing a variation in distance along the guiding plane and a second control means is able to displace the clamping tools together between initial and final clamping positions representing a variation in distance along the guiding plane.

An application head specially designed for producing parts made of composite materials, comprising an application roller, guiding means defining a guiding plane and a cutting system for cutting a fiber comprising a first tool movable in translation along a cutting direction and a second tool. The cutting system comprises an integrated control means able to displace the first tool in translation along the cutting direction and to displace the first and second tool together, in rotation around a direction parallel to the application roller.

An automated fiber bundle placement apparatus including a placing head having a pressing device, and a multi-jointed robot. The pressing device includes a pressing part, a pressing mechanism having a drive device, and a drive control device. The drive control device includes a drive command unit configured to output a drive command corresponding to a contact width of a placement die with the pressing part, the contact width being a length in the width direction of a part of the placement die facing in parallel to a contact range of the pressing part during pressing against the placement die, and is configured to control drive of the drive device to apply a pressing force corresponding to the drive command to the pressing part.

A method is disclosed for controlling an additive manufacturing system. The method may include causing a head to discharge composite material along a first trajectory, and activating a cure enhancer to at least partially cure composite material discharging from the head along the first trajectory. The method may also include selectively deactivating the cure enhancer as the head nears a corner location, moving the head to a second trajectory after the head reaches the corner location, and reactivating the cure enhancer after moving the head to the second trajectory.

A system is disclosed for use in additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include at least one support, and a print head operatively connected to the at least one support and configured to discharge composite material. The system may further include an auxiliary tool operatively connected to the at least one support and configured to receive the composite material discharged by the print head.

A method and apparatus for the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects are disclosed. Two or more materials are extruded simultaneously as a composite, with at least one material in liquid form and at least one material in a solid continuous strand completely encased within the liquid material. A means of curing the liquid material after extrusion hardens the composite. A part is constructed using a series of extruded composite paths. The strand material within the composite contains specific chemical, mechanical, or electrical characteristics that instill the object with enhanced capabilities not possible with only one material.

Various embodiments related to three dimensional printers, and reinforced filaments, and their methods of use are described. In one embodiment, a void free reinforced filament is fed into an extrusion nozzle. The reinforced filament includes a core, which may be continuous or semi-continuous, and a matrix material surrounding the core. The reinforced filament is heated to a temperature greater than a melting temperature of the matrix material and less than a melting temperature of the core prior to extruding the filament from the extrusion nozzle.

An automated fiber bundle placement apparatus includes a supply device that supplies a plurality of fiber bundles, a placement head that places each of the fiber bundles on a placement die, an articulated robot, and a guide mechanism that guides the fiber bundles. The placement head includes an introduction hole that introduces the fiber bundles, a plurality of feeding mechanisms that feed the fiber bundles, and a guide roller that corresponds to each of the feeding mechanisms. The placement head includes an S-shaped guide provided for each of the introduction holes, and having a pair of rollers provided so that axes thereof are parallel to each other and having different positions in a direction of a center line of the introduction hole, and a support body supporting the pair of rollers and provided to be rotatable around the center line.

A system is disclosed for additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include a head having a matrix reservoir, a nozzle fluidly connected to the matrix reservoir and configured to discharge a composite material into a feature of an existing component. a guide configured to detect a location of the feature, and a cure enhancer configured to expose composite material discharging from the nozzle to a cure energy. The system may also include a support configured to move the head in multiple dimensions, and a controller in communication with the cure enhancer and the support. The controller may be configured to cause the support to move the head during discharge of the composite material into the feature based on the detected location of the feature.