A pressure foot device and system comprising a pressure foot device for forming and applying an elongate fiber tow, wherein the pressure foot device comprises a foot surface comprising a straight foot segment, a groove comprising a flared end and defining a groove midplane, and a foot shaft housing characterized by a foot shaft's axis of rotation that is orthogonal to the straight foot segment and comprised in the groove midplane.

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 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 and an ultrasonic compaction device for compacting the material as it is being deposited from the placement module. The compaction device includes an ultrasonic driver, an attachment member and a plurality of ultrasonic horns independently coupled to the attachment member and being movable independent of each other. The plurality of ultrasonic horns are 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 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 and an ultrasonic compaction device for compacting the material as it is being deposited from the placement module. The compaction device includes an ultrasonic driver, an attachment member and a plurality of ultrasonic horns independently coupled to the attachment member and being movable independent of each other. The plurality of ultrasonic horns are 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 multi-material 3-D printing system and method including at least two printing heads each with a transparent window circumscribed by an ejection nozzle. Each ejection nozzle is coupled to a respective pump that pumps resin from a respective vat onto a respective window. The resin is cured from below the window by exposure to a digital image displayed by a micro display chip. To switch resins, the sample is moved across a plurality of suction nozzles towards a second printing head. A respective one of the suction heads is coupled to a vacuum that effectuates the intake of residual resin from the underside of the sample.

A multi-material 3-D printing system and method including at least two printing heads each with a transparent window circumscribed by an ejection nozzle. Each ejection nozzle is coupled to a respective pump that pumps resin from a respective vat onto a respective window. The resin is cured from below the window by exposure to a digital image displayed by a micro display chip. To switch resins, the sample is moved across a plurality of suction nozzles towards a second printing head. A respective one of the suction heads is coupled to a vacuum that effectuates the intake of residual resin from the underside of the sample.

Aspects of this disclosure include a method for repairing a component having narrow passage, a three-dimensional printer, and composition for three-dimensional printing. One embodiment of the method may comprise mixing a filler material for three-dimensional printing with a carrier fluid, and applying a controlled electromagnetic field to bias the filler material towards a repair location in a narrow passage of a component. The method may further comprise coating a ferromagnetic material with the filler material to form a microcapsule, wherein the ferromagnetic material is adapted to interact with the controlled electromagnetic field to attract the microcapsule to the repair location. 3D printing techniques may be used to coat the ferromagnetic core with the filler material.

Aspects of this disclosure include a method for repairing a component having narrow passage, a three-dimensional printer, and composition for three-dimensional printing. One embodiment of the method may comprise mixing a filler material for three-dimensional printing with a carrier fluid, and applying a controlled electromagnetic field to bias the filler material towards a repair location in a narrow passage of a component. The method may further comprise coating a ferromagnetic material with the filler material to form a microcapsule, wherein the ferromagnetic material is adapted to interact with the controlled electromagnetic field to attract the microcapsule to the repair location. 3D printing techniques may be used to coat the ferromagnetic core with the filler material.

Described herein are methods and compositions for forming three-dimensional objects via material jetting processes, the methods including the repeated steps of selectively depositing a liquid thermoset material onto a surface from a nozzle of at least one jetting head in a first specified direction and exposing at least a portion of the liquid thermoset material to a source of actinic radiation in order to form a three-dimensional object from the cured thermoset material, wherein the jetting head is configured to eject droplets of the liquid thermoset material from the nozzle at prescribed elevated operating temperatures, and wherein the liquid thermoset material is chosen so as to possessing prescribed viscosity and rheological characteristics.

Described herein are methods and compositions for forming three-dimensional objects via material jetting processes, the methods including the repeated steps of selectively depositing a liquid thermoset material onto a surface from a nozzle of at least one jetting head in a first specified direction and exposing at least a portion of the liquid thermoset material to a source of actinic radiation in order to form a three-dimensional object from the cured thermoset material, wherein the jetting head is configured to eject droplets of the liquid thermoset material from the nozzle at prescribed elevated operating temperatures, and wherein the liquid thermoset material is chosen so as to possessing prescribed viscosity and rheological characteristics.