Automated quality detection of resource efficient 3D printing

Consumer-grade digital fabrication such as 3D printing is on the rise, and we believe it can be leveraged to great benefit in the arena of special education. Although 3D printing is beginning to infiltrate mainstream education, little to no research has explored 3D printing in the context of students with special support needs. We present a formative study exploring the use of 3D printing at three locations serving populations with varying ability, including individuals with cognitive, motor, and visual impairments. We found that 3D design and printing performs three functions in special education: developing 3D design and printing skills encourages STEM engagement; 3D printing can support the creation of educational aids for providing accessible curriculum content; and 3D printing can be used to create custom adaptive devices. In addition to providing opportunities to students, faculty, and caregivers in their efforts to integrate 3D printing in special education settings, our investigation also revealed several concerns and challenges. We present our investigation at three diverse sites as a case study of 3D printing in the realm of special education, discuss obstacles to efficient 3D printing in this context, and offer suggestions for designers and technologists.

Consumer-grade digital fabrication such as 3D printing is on the rise, and we believe it can be leveraged to great benefit in special education. Although 3D printing is infiltrating mainstream education, little research has explored 3D printing in the context of students with special support needs. We describe our studies on this topic and the resulting contributions. We initially conducted a formative study exploring the use of 3D printing at three locations serving populations with varying ability, including individuals with cognitive, motor, and visual impairments. We found that 3D design and printing perform three functions in special education: (1) STEM engagement, (2) creation of educational aids for accessible curriculum content, and (3) making custom adaptive devices. As part of our formative work, we also discussed a case study in the codesign of an assistive hand grip created with occupational therapists at one of our investigation sites. This work inspired further studies on the creation of adaptive devices using 3D printers. We identified the needs and constraints of these therapists and found implications for a specialized 3D modeling tool to support their use of 3D printers. We developed GripFab, 3D modeling software based on feedback from therapists, and used it to explore the feasibility of in-house 3D object designs in support of accessibility. Our contributions include case studies at three special education sites and discussion of obstacles to efficient 3D printing in this context. We have extended these contributions with a more in-depth look at the stakeholders and findings from GripFab studies. We have expanded our discussion to include suggestions for researchers in this space, in addition to refined suggestions from our earlier work for technologists creating 3D modeling and printing tools, therapists seeking to leverage 3D printers, and educators and administrators looking to implement these design tools in special education environments.

Sustainable 3D printed composites from recycled ocean plastics and pyrolyzed soy-hulls: Optimization of printing parameters, performance studies and prototypes development

This work explores the integration of 3D and inkjet printing manufacturing processes with millimeter-wave (mm-wave) wireless packaging technology. Stereolithography-based (SLA) 3D printing methods are discussed for two classes of materials: polymeric and ceramic-loaded dielectrics. 3D-printed materials are characterized for performance within the E-band wireless regime (55–95 GHz), extracting relative permittivity and loss tangent. Thermal cycling tests are performed in order to evaluate the thermal stress characteristics of the printed dielectrics structures. Die encapsulation with SLA printing technology is presented as an alternative to the standard molding and stamping technology. Inkjet printing is used to demonstrate the fabrication of metallic structures directly onto 3D-printed packages, highlighting potential applications of on-package antenna arrays, lenses, and metamaterial surfaces. Finally, inkjet-printed mm-wave transmission lines are realized on 3D-printed ramp structures, demonstrating efficient 3D interconnects with ramp slopes up to 65° for through-mold-via (TMV) solutions.

Efficient large-scale 3D printing of complex structures is essential for fast growth in industrial 3D printing applications. Although robotic 3D printing is promising for large-scale 3D printing of complex geometries, pushing the manufacturing scale by increasing the robot size alone can lead to additional costs, while in many cases, it cannot be used because of its technical challenges. The objective of the present research is to develop a kinematically redundant robotic system for 3D printing of large-scale polymer structures, overcoming some of the technical and cost challenges associated with merely up-scaling the robot size. Several critical aspects in large-scale additive manufacturing, including developing a robotic 3D printing system with an industrial extruder and large workspace, tool path generation, extruder control, process parameters study, and thermal analysis, are discussed in detail. Additionally, a Grasshopper-based slicer is developed for toolpath generation, and an angled slicing strategy is implemented for 3D printing hollow structures. Moreover, a complete parameter study is carried out, which can be used to improve slicing algorithms and the geometrical accuracy of printed components. The outcome of this research can be used for 3D printing of large-scale structures, especially those with significant dimensions in one direction, such as molds for wind turbine blades, boats, and other hollow structures.

Photopolymerization-based ceramic 3D printing shows unmatched superiority in fabricating high-performance ceramic parts compared with the conventional preparation technology. Nevertheless, it remains challenging to achieve efficient 3D printing due to the light scattering in photosensitive ceramic slurries, increasing the width of solidification and reducing the curing depth during photocuring. Herein, we report an efficient ceramic 3D printing approach based on curcuminoid dye-sensitized photopolymerization under green light-emitting diode (LED). For deep penetration and minimal light scattering, ceramic bodies with good performance can be produced from a ceramic slurry with curcuminoid dye by using a green LED-digital light processing (DLP) 3D printer. Curcuminoid dye was found to provide the ability to transfer electrons to photoinitiator and play a role in improving the accuracy of the entire 3D printing process. The proposed approach here provides a viable solution toward efficient ceramic additive manufacturing by green LED-DLP-3D printing.

This project is to fabricate the most essential parts of Delta type 3D printer parts so as to make it more efficient in cost and working. This project has 3 vital parts of a 3D printer and they are Effector, Rod end bearings, Connecting rod (Diagonal rod). The Effector is a component that holds the hot end nozzle and other heat dissipating material within it and we in our project made a multi utility Effector so as to hold many hot ends such as Laser cutting, CNC tool, Food extrusion and 3D printing hot end. This Effector is also categorized into two as uphold and bottom hold since uphold and down hold. Rod end bearings are the motion transmission bearings that would transmit motion in a spherical path. We have made a different mechanism to transmit the motion same as to rod end bearing by coupling two universal joints and making some modification in it and made it cheaper in cost and efficient in working process. The connecting rod is the linking rod between the carriage and the effector. This connecting rod is used to transmit the motion from the carriage to the effector and this works in accordance to the design imbedded on the printer. The conventional 3D printer has carbon fibre pipes as their connecting rod and in this project this connecting rod is changed to steel and this one is made so as to withstand the load acting on it and cost efficient. All these parts are connected and made as a single setup and can be used in any delta type 3D printer. The overall cost of this setup is ½ times the cost of the conventional setup.

A review is presented on the modern method of 3D printing of various composites based on synthetic and natural biopolymers with the inclusion of wood raw materials. Some features of scientific and technological approaches to the formation of a specific product using abstract computer modeling are described. A classification and review of the most common and promising 3D printing technologies using degraded raw materials with the inclusion of wood processing products is given. It is shown that using 3D printing, it is very promising to obtain «artificial wood», which is a mixture of a wood base with an inert polymer binder, which can be either based on synthetic polymers or based on natural biomatrix obtained from ecologically safe constituents of herbal raw materials. It is indicated that an important aspect of the problem of obtaining modern biocomposites is the dispersion of the materials used, which affects the entire complex of physical and mechanical properties of the product. The areas of application of the materials used are given. Trends in the development of 3D printing technology with the use of polymer binders based on natural and synthetic polymers are analyzed and the prospects of using natural biopolymers based on plant raw materials for the production of goods and materials necessary for humans as environmentally friendly products are shown. It is concluded that an impending explosive growth in the production and use of 3D composite materials based on natural and synthetic polymers with the inclusion of cheap wood components in the context of a significant reduction in production costs and the rapid production of the required products with low cost of products in the implementation of a highly efficient method 3D printing.

Design & Fabrication of Innovative Desktop 3D Printing Machine

UV-curing 3D printing of composite energetic materials and its challenges

Nanoscience—often summarized as “the future is tiny”—highlights the work of researchers advancing nanotechnology through incremental innovations. The design and innovation of new nanomaterials are vital for the development of next-generation three-dimensional (3D) printed structures characterized by low cost, high speed, and versatile capabilities, delivering exceptional performance in advanced applications. The integration of nanofillers into polymeric-based inks for 3D printing heralds a new era in additive manufacturing, allowing for the creation of custom-designed 3D objects with enhanced multifunctionality. To optimize the use of nanomaterials in 3D printing, effective disaggregation techniques and strong interfacial adhesion between nanofillers and polymer matrices are essential. This review provides an overview of the application of various types of nanomaterials used in 3D printing, focusing on their functionalization principles, dispersion strategies, and colloidal stability, as well as the methodologies for aligning nanofillers within the 3D printing framework. It discusses dispersive methods, synergistic dispersion, and in-situ growth, which have yielded smart 3D-printed structures with unique functionality for specific applications. This review also focuses on nanomaterial alignment in 3D printing, detailing methods that enhance selective deposition and orientation of nanofillers within established and customized printing techniques. By emphasizing alignment strategies, we explore their impact on the performance of 3D-printed composites and highlight potential applications that benefit from ordered nanoparticles. Through these continuing efforts, this review shows that the design and development of the new class of nanomaterials are crucial to developing the next generation of smart 3D printed architectures with versatile abilities for advanced structures with exceptional performance.

Large-scale additive manufacturing (LSAM) has become a focal point for industries requiring large structures, such as marine, wind, etc. Despite its potential, LSAM faces limitations due to challenges associated with proper slicing software and limited knowledge of the various process parameters and their effect on the mechanical properties of 3D printed specimens. The present study addresses the development of a large-scale robotic 3D printer, followed by a comprehensive experimental investigation of influential printing process parameters. A series of experiments is conducted to explore the influences of different process parameters, such as printing speed, feeding rate, temperature, etc., on the geometrical dimension of the printed rasters and the mechanical properties and structural integrity of the 3D printed specimens. Appropriate printing process parameters for overhanging and bridging specific to LSAM are examined. Furthermore, the influence of the most critical parameters, such as the printing temperature, on the mechanical strength of the 3D-printed specimens is evaluated. LSAM process parameter investigation and mechanical tensile testing on 3D printed specimens offer insight into optimizing LSAM processes, contributing valuable guidelines for advancing robust and efficient large-scale robotic 3D printing.

H-bonds and metal-ligand coordination-enabled manufacture of palm oil-based thermoplastic elastomers by photocuring 3D printing

Microfluidic devices with ultra-fine features are critical for applications in biomedical diagnostics, chemical analysis, and lab-on-chip systems, but achieving high-resolution negative features with fast print times remains a significant challenge due to limitations in conventional 3D printing techniques. Motivated by the need for rapid fabrication of precise, compact microfluidic structures to enhance performance and miniaturization, we present an efficient multi-resolution 3D printing technique designed to fabricate microfluidic devices with exceptionally high-resolution negative features. For instance, we achieve fully enclosed channels with cross sections as small as 1.9 µm × 2.0 µm, a two-order-of-magnitude reduction in cross-sectional area compared to the 18 µm × 20 µm channels reported in our previous work (Gong et al., Lab Chip 17, 2899, 2017). Our method utilizes a dual-optical-engine approach comprising a Very High Resolution Optical Engine (VHROE) and a Main Optical Engine (MOE), each employing distinct pixel resolutions and LED wavelengths. The VHROE, with a pixel pitch of 0.75 µm and a 365 nm LED, delivers unparalleled resolution, while the MOE, with a pixel pitch of 15 µm and a 405 nm LED, ensures efficient coverage for larger areas up to 38.9 mm × 24.3 mm. Custom ultraviolet (UV) short-pass filters are used to tailor each LED spectrum, optimizing performance for each optical engine. Both engines are mounted on an XY stage to achieve multi-resolution imaging in the XY plane. Depth-wise (Z-axis) multi-resolution is achieved by formulating a photopolymerizable resin incorporating two UV absorbers possessing distinct absorption spectra such that the different light spectra from the VHROE and MOE encounter disparate levels of absorption, resulting in 1/e penetration depths of 2 µm and 20 µm, respectively. This enables true multi-resolution printing in all three dimensions. Our method balances speed and resolution by selectively deploying the VHROE for ultra-fine features and the MOE for bulk structures within a single 3D print. To demonstrate the versatility of this technique, we fabricated intricate microfluidic structures, including a triply-periodic minimal surface (TPMS) with 7 µm pores embedded within a 150 µm × 150 µm cross section enclosed channel, and an ultra-compact microfluidic mixer with a printed volume of only 0.017 mm³ (17 nL) and a print time of 21 minutes. These examples underscore the potential of our multi-resolution 3D printing method for advancing microfluidic device fabrication.

Decellularization (DC) of biomaterials with bioreactors is widely used to produce scaffolds for tissue engineering. This study uses 3D printing to develop efficient but low-cost DC bioreactors. Two bioreactors were developed to decellularize pericardial patches and vascular grafts. Flow profiles and pressure distribution inside the bioreactors were optimized by steady-state computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis. Printing materials were evaluated by cytotoxicity assessment. Following evaluation, all parts of the bioreactors were 3D printed in a commercial fused deposition modeling printer. Samples of bovine pericardia and porcine aortae were decellularized using established protocols. An immersion and agitation setup was used as a control. With histological assessment, DNA quantification and biomechanical testing treatment effects were evaluated. CFD analysis of the pericardial bioreactor revealed even flow and pressure distribution in between all pericardia. The CFD analysis of the vessel bioreactor showed increased intraluminal flow rate and pressure compared to the vessel's outside. Cytotoxicity assessment of the used printing material revealed no adverse effect on the tissue. Complete DC was achieved for all samples using the 3D printed bioreactors while DAPI staining revealed residual cells in aortic vessels of the control group. Histological analysis showed no structural changes in the decellularized samples. Additionally, biomechanical properties exhibited no significant change compared to native samples. This study presents a novel approach to manufacturing highly efficient and low budget 3D printed bioreactors for the DC of biomaterials. When compared to standard protocols, the bioreactors offer a cost effective, fast, and reproducible approach, which vastly improves the DC results.