Abstract: A sensor system to provide data for use to control manufacture of an optical fiber in microgravity including a diameter sensor to monitor a diameter of a fiber drawn from a preform material, a tension sensor to monitor tension of the fiber as the fiber is pulled from the preform material to a storage device and a controller in communication with at least one of the diameter sensor and the tension sensor to evaluate sensor data to determine at least one of a speed and rate at which the fiber is pulled from the preform material.

Abstract: A system for drawing optical fiber in microgravity including a sealed housing to prevent infiltration of at least humidity and filled with a dry environment, a preform holder located within the sealed housing to hold preform material, a furnace located within the sealed housing to receive the preform material from the preform holder and to heat the preform material from which the optical fiber is pulled, a feed system to move the preform material from the preform holder to the furnace, a drawing mechanism located within the sealed housing to pull the optical fiber from the preform material within the furnace, a diameter monitor located within the sealed housing to measure a diameter of the optical fiber and a fiber collection mechanism located within the sealed housing to gather and store the optical fiber.

Abstract: A system is disclosed including a robotic arm movable about a rotational axis to at least one of move and reposition a part at least one of during part creation and after part creation in a micro-gravity environment, wherein creation is performed by at least one of a polymer-based additive manufacturing subsystem and a metallic-based additive manufacturing subsystem and a gripping device attached to the robotic arm which holds the part during at least one of part creation and after part creation. Another system and method are also disclosed.

Abstract: Additive manufacturing devices operable in various external force environments are disclosed. In an aspect, an additive manufacturing device operable in microgravity is disclosed. In other aspects, devices which are operable in high-vibration environments or varying external force environments are disclosed. Additive manufacturing devices herein may produce parts from metal, polymer, or other feedstocks.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for creating cast metal objects in space and other environments. Molds are created using additive manufacturing and are injected with a castable metal having a melting point lower than a mold melting point. In some aspects, the additive manufacturing device and the metal casting unit are contained in the same unit.

Abstract: A system for controlling an ambient microgravity environment of a system for drawing optical fiber including a filter arranged to cleanse an environment from contaminants, a molecular sieve arranged in a series of at least one of meshes and baffles to dehumidify the environment, at least one of a pump and a fan to draw an environmental gas through the filter, through the molecular sieve and back in to an ambient environment and a housing in which the filter, molecular sieve and at least one of pump and fan reside.

Abstract: A system for producing an object is disclosed including a build device having a build area and a material bonding component to receive portions of a material that are used to produce the object, at least one gripper within the build area to contact the object to provide support and to provide for at least one of a heat sink for the object, a cold sink for the object, and electrical dissipation path from the object, and a movement mechanism to move the build device relative to the object to position the build device at a position to further produce the object. Another system and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A preform material including a starter tip to facilitate an initial fiber draw from the preform within a furnace, wherein the tip comprises a vacuum-sealed tip to receive a plastic grip which attached to an end of a preform.

Abstract: A system including a deposition system to create a layer of an object during an additive manufacturing process, a material feeder to deliver a material for application to the object by the deposition system, a first sensor to measure at least one characteristic of the material, a rangefinder to determine a height of the deposition system above a build location where the object is being additively manufactured, and a traverse system to adjust a height of the deposition system from the build location responsive to a measurement taken by the first sensor. Another system and method are also disclosed.

Abstract: Recycling devices for producing additive manufacturing filament from received materials including objects to be recycled, discarded objects, obsolete objects, and the like. A recycling device may include a material processing system an extrusion mechanism and a spooling assembly. The material processing system receives material, reduces the size of the received material via a material size reducer and actively pushes the material through at least a portion of the device. The extrusion mechanism produces filament from the material and the spooling assembly loads the filament onto a spool for later use. The spooling assembly may include detachable elements configured to interface with and supply filament to an additive manufacturing device. Depending on configuration, recycling devices may create filament from plastic, metal, in-situ material, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A system comprising an additive manufacturing device to create a macrostructure as a continuous piece, an applicator to apply a conductive coating to an inner surface of the macrostructure, and a signal attenuation tuner to attenuate a signal by modification of a physical dimension of the macrostructure. A method and another system are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system including an additive manufacturing device to perform at least one additive manufacturing process and to include a prefabricated component during the at least one additive manufacturing process to accelerate build completion of a produced object. Another system and a method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A manufacturing system including catalog database for retaining a plurality of three-dimensional content for use to at least one of create a produced object and repair an existing object with at least one additive manufacturing process, one or more user interfaces to access the catalog database at least one of simultaneously and at different times, a communication infrastructure to provide for real-time communication between the catalog database and the one or more user interfaces, and a manufacturing system comprising at least one user interface to apply the at least one additive manufacturing process to at least one of create the produced object and to repair the existing object. Methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An extended structure additive manufacturing device and method are provided. The device includes a movable material bonding component and a movement mechanism which enable the device to create parts outside the conventional additive manufacturing device print volumes defined by the device and its print-head. Methods of making parts involve creating a portion of a part and moving the extended structure additive manufacturing device relative to the part and printing a second portion of the part. Parts incapable of being formed using a conventional additive manufacturing device may be made using the extended structure additive manufacturing device and/or methods disclosed herein.

Abstract: A method is provided for partially or completely manufacturing a spacecraft in an extraterrestrial environment, thereby allowing the spacecraft to be transported from Earth in a form that is better able to withstand forces associated with a rocket launch and traversing Earth's atmosphere. Such a form may allow the spacecraft to be significantly smaller than it would need to be if it had to be in a completed form at the time of transportation. Two forms of spacecraft that may be built by such method are also disclosed. In an aspect, the disclosed devices may be configured to be manufactured, assembled, deployed, and utilized in a timely and efficient manner.

Abstract: Methods of collecting in-situ materials on a celestial body for return to Earth or another location and associated devices are described. These devices and methods facilitate collection of samples and creation of portions of the return spacecraft via an additive manufacturing device contained within the lander craft. The additive manufacturing device is configured to produce portions of the return spacecraft (e.g., sample return container, spacecraft structure, heat shield) and may also be configured to place samples within the spacecraft for return and analysis.

Abstract: A system including an additive manufacturing device to perform at least one additive manufacturing process and to include a prefabricated component during the at least one additive manufacturing process to accelerate build completion of a produced object. Another system and a method are also disclosed.

Abstract: Node-based remote operations of additive manufacturing device are disclosed. In an aspect, a system for operating a remote additive manufacturing device is disclosed. Each computing device is a node in a communications path and contains an instance of a command software program configured to receive and send a single set of commands, ensure the integrity of such commands and/or operate communicatively connected additive manufacturing devices.

Abstract: Methods of collecting in-situ materials on a celestial body for return to Earth or another location and associated devices are described. These devices and methods facilitate collection of samples and creation of portions of the return spacecraft via an additive manufacturing device contained within the lander craft. The additive manufacturing device is configured to produce portions of the return spacecraft (e.g., sample return container, spacecraft structure, heat shield) and may also be configured to place samples within the spacecraft for return and analysis.

Abstract: A method including breaking down a component with a recycler to reduce the component to a recycled material composition that includes an original material of the component and debris that attached to the component during prior use, applying the recycled material composition within an additive manufacturing device to create a recycled component, and producing the recycled component from the additive manufacturing device, the recycled component material composition includes both the original material of the component and the debris attached to the component.