A continuous filament additive manufacturing machine for building a part by laying down a continuous mono-filament or composite filament material layer by layer on a tool or substrate. The machine includes a system, such as a robot, operable to move in at least three degrees of freedom, and a placement module coupled to the system and being configured to deposit the continuous filament material. The placement module includes a guide for guiding the material to the part, a heat source for pre-heating the material as it is being deposited from the placement module and a compaction device for compacting the material as it is being deposited from the placement module. The compaction device includes an ultrasonic horn that is ultrasonically vibrated to melt or flow the material and cause the material to fuse and be compacted to the tool or substrate.

A continuous filament additive manufacturing machine for building a part by laying down a continuous mono-filament or composite filament material layer by layer on a tool or substrate. The machine includes a system, such as a robot, operable to move in at least three degrees of freedom, and a placement module coupled to the system and being configured to deposit the continuous filament material. The placement module includes a guide for guiding the material to the part, a heat source for pre-heating the material as it is being deposited from the placement module and a compaction device for compacting the material as it is being deposited from the placement module. The compaction device includes an ultrasonic horn that is ultrasonically vibrated to melt or flow the material and cause the material to fuse and be compacted to the tool or substrate.

A method of forming an innervated liquid crystal elastomer (iLCE) actuator comprises extruding a filament through a nozzle moving relative to a substrate, where the filament has a core-shell structure including a shell comprising a liquid crystal elastomer surrounding a core configured to induce a nematic-to-isotropic transition of the liquid crystal elastomer. The filament is subjected to UV curing as the filament is extruded, and the filament is deposited on the substrate as the nozzle moves. A director of the liquid crystal elastomer is aligned with a print path of the nozzle, and a 3D printed architecture configured for actuation is formed.

A method of forming an innervated liquid crystal elastomer (iLCE) actuator comprises extruding a filament through a nozzle moving relative to a substrate, where the filament has a core-shell structure including a shell comprising a liquid crystal elastomer surrounding a core configured to induce a nematic-to-isotropic transition of the liquid crystal elastomer. The filament is subjected to UV curing as the filament is extruded, and the filament is deposited on the substrate as the nozzle moves. A director of the liquid crystal elastomer is aligned with a print path of the nozzle, and a 3D printed architecture configured for actuation is formed.

A control circuit for generating a primary alternating current (AC) voltage signal provided to a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) disk of a three-dimensional printer includes a switching regulator receiving a direct current (DC) voltage signal. The switching regulator modulates the DC voltage signal based on a variable duty cycle to create a modulated DC signal. The control circuit also includes a modulation circuit in electrical communication with the switching regulator. The modulation circuit introduces a frequency component to the modulated DC signal, where the primary AC voltage signal includes a variable duty cycle and a set frequency, and the frequency component introduced into the modulated DC signal is representative of the set frequency of the primary AC voltage.

In in-process inspection or calibration of a print bed or 3D printed part with a 3D printer, toolpaths defining printing material shells for deposition by a 3D printer are compared to surface profile scans from a range scanner to identify differences between the print bed, instructed deposition and the measured result, permitting pausing or alteration of the toolpaths or printing process.

In in-process inspection or calibration of a print bed or 3D printed part with a 3D printer, toolpaths defining printing material shells for deposition by a 3D printer are compared to surface profile scans from a range scanner to identify differences between the print bed, instructed deposition and the measured result, permitting pausing or alteration of the toolpaths or printing process.

Provided is a three-dimensional shaping apparatus in which surface of a three-dimensional shaped object can be prevented from being roughened. The three-dimensional shaping apparatus that shapes a three-dimensional shaped object by stacking layers of a material includes: a stage; a discharge unit that has a nozzle surface in which a nozzle hole is formed; a moving unit that is configured to change a relative position between the stage and the nozzle surface; and a control unit that is configured to control the moving unit. The control unit drives the moving unit such that a relation between a gap G between the nozzle surface and the stage or the layer of the material when the material is discharged from the discharge unit and an outer diameter Dp of the nozzle surface satisfies a following relation (1).
Dp≤20×G+0.20[mm]  (1)

A system is disclosed for use in additively manufacturing a structure. The system may include an additive manufacturing machine, a memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, and a processor. The processor may be configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to determine a plurality of tension vectors to be generated within the structure, and to generate a plan for manufacturing the structure. The plan may include tool paths that arrange continuous fibers within the structure to generate the plurality of tension vectors. The processor may also be configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to cause the additive manufacturing machine to follow the plan and manufacture the structure.

A system is disclosed for use in additively manufacturing a structure. The system may include an additive manufacturing machine, a memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, and a processor. The processor may be configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to determine a plurality of tension vectors to be generated within the structure, and to generate a plan for manufacturing the structure. The plan may include tool paths that arrange continuous fibers within the structure to generate the plurality of tension vectors. The processor may also be configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to cause the additive manufacturing machine to follow the plan and manufacture the structure.