Abstract: Methods of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament which, in various embodiments, comprise: (A) grinding recycled PET bottles into a group of flakes; (B) washing the flakes; (C) identifying and removing impurities, including impure flakes, from the group of flakes; (D) adding one or more color concentrates to the flakes; (E) passing the group of flakes through an MRS extruder (400) while maintaining the pressure within the MRS portion (420) of the MRS extruder (400) below about 25 millibars; (F) passing the resulting polymer melt through at least one filter (450) having a micron rating of less than about 50 microns; and (G) forming the recycled polymer into bulked continuous carpet filament that consists essentially of recycled PET.

Abstract: A plasticizing apparatus includes a barrel that is provided with a first through-hole along a first axis, a first screw in which a first groove portion having a spiral shape about a first axis is provided in a surface facing a barrel, a side wall having a cylindrical shape is provided along an outer peripheral edge of a surface facing a side opposite to the barrel, and a second through-hole is provided along the first axis, a second screw of which at least a part is disposed inside the side wall and a second groove portion having a spiral shape about the first axis is provided in a surface facing the barrel with the first screw interposed therebetween, and a drive unit that rotates the first screw and the second screw about the first axis by making angular velocity vectors thereof different from each other with respect to the barrel.

Abstract: A three-dimensional print head apparatus including a securing mechanism, a hopper, a nozzle, a barrel, and a heating system. The securing mechanism is adapted to secure to a wrist joint of a robotic arm. The hopper is secured to the securing mechanism and has a cavity and a lower aperture. The nozzle has an upper aperture and a lower aperture. The barrel has an elongate, hollow member with a first end secured to the lower aperture of the hopper and a second end secured to the upper aperture of the nozzle. The heating system is positioned along the barrel.

Abstract: A method of creating a functionally-graded multi-material (FGM) part in multi-material additive manufacturing includes providing a part digitized into voxels, generating a lattice structure having a series of repeating unit cells, where each is the smallest nonrepeating constituent of the lattice structure and is generated by a continuous surface defined by a continuous function. The method further includes taking an inverse volume of the lattice structure within the part, creating a material gradient by varying a thickness of the surface at the boundary between the lattice structure and the inverse volume, assigning one of the two FGM component materials to the voxels in the volume occupied by the lattice structure and assigning the other to the voxels occupied by the inverse volume, outputting the voxels each with a designated material, the lattice structure and the inverse volume forming a mechanical interlock at the interface of the two component materials.

Abstract: A process of making a water soluble pouch including the steps of providing a first mold, providing a water soluble first web carried on the first mold, forming the water soluble web into a compartment by applying a first pressure difference across the water soluble first web at a first maximum temperature and subsequently applying a second pressure difference across the water soluble first web, wherein the second pressure difference is greater than or equal to the first pressure difference.

Abstract: A method of depositing a multiphase material. The method includes providing a Continuous Multifunctional Composite (CMC) phase containing at least one continuous element in a polymeric matrix, passing the CMC phase through a feeding system containing a cutting system, producing a predetermined length of the CMC phase, providing a flow a molten polymer such that the molten polymer and the CMC phase are merged into a continuous co-extrusion nozzle so as to produce a co-extruded multiphase material, and depositing the co-extruded multiphase material onto a surface. An apparatus for depositing a multiphase material. The apparatus contains a co-extrusion nozzle, a means to introduce a CMC phase and a molten polymer into the co-extrusion nozzle, such that the molten polymer and the CMC phase are co-extruded and deposited on a surface. An article containing a CMC phase containing continuous elements embedded in a polymer resin forming a multiphase structure.

Abstract: In one example, a roller control process for a 3D printer includes stopping the layering roller rotating at angular home before the roller reaches linear home at the end of a fusing pass, measuring the duration between when the roller reaches angular home and when the roller reaches linear home, and, if the duration exceeds a threshold, then stopping the roller rotating at angular home at a distance closer to linear home in subsequent fusing passes until the duration does not exceed the threshold.

Abstract: Assessing material strength for additive manufacturing is provided. The method comprises calibrating a baseline electrical resistivity of a multi-phase additive material for a set dislocation density as a function of phase fraction and phase composition, wherein individual phases of the material have different electrical resistivity values. After the additive material has undergone a number of heating and cooling cycles during additive manufacturing the additive material is characterized for phase fraction, phase composition, and electrical resistivity. Dislocation density of the additive material is then determined according to electrical resistivity after additive manufacturing, accounting for effects of phase fraction and phase composition determined by characterization.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing machine includes: a resin support which has at least a portion which is transparent, wherein the resin support defines a build surface; a material depositor operable to deposit a resin which is radiant-energy-curable onto the build surface; at least two build stations, each build station including: a stage positioned adjacent the build zone and configured to hold a stacked arrangement of one or more cured layers of the resin; one or more actuators operable to manipulate a relative position of the stage and the build surface; and at least one radiant energy apparatus positioned opposite to the stage, and operable to generate and project radiant energy in a predetermined pattern.

Abstract: Described are techniques for additive manufacturing of deformable objects. The techniques including a method comprising generating printing parameters for a deformable component. The method further comprises fabricating the deformable component by additive manufacturing, where a smart material is located at an articulation point of the deformable component, and where a base material is located at a static portion of the deformable component. The method further comprises supplying an environmental stimulus to the deformable component that causes the deformable component to transition from a first state to a second state.

Abstract: A method of monitoring an additive manufacturing process, in which an object is built in a layer-by-layer manner by directing a laser beam using at least one movable guiding element of a scanner to solidify selected regions of a material bed. The method includes recording position values generated from a transducer measuring positions of the at least one movable guiding element, recording sensor values generated from a sensor for detecting radiation emitted from the material bed and transmitted to the sensor by the movable guiding element of the scanner, and associating each sensor value with a corresponding one of the position values.

Abstract: A three-dimensional, additive manufacturing system is disclosed. The first and second printer modules form sequences of first patterned single-layer objects and second patterned single-layer objects on the first and second carrier substrates, respectively. The patterned single-layer objects are assembled into a three-dimensional object on the assembly plate of the assembly station. A controller controls the sequences and patterns of the patterned single-layer objects formed at the printer modules, and a sequence of assembly of the first patterned single-layer objects and the second patterned single-layer objects into the three-dimensional object on the assembly plate. The first transfer module transfers the first patterned single-layer objects from the first carrier substrate to the assembly apparatus in a first transfer zone and the second transfer module transfers the second patterned single-layer objects from the second carrier substrate to the assembly apparatus in a second transfer zone.

Abstract: A system for fabricating composite parts efficiently. Pre-impregnated (prepreg) composite material is drawn as a sheet from a roll and fed by advancement rollers into a stamping and molding station in which a piece of the prepreg material is cut, on a mold, from the sheet. Pressure is applied to cause the prepreg material to conform to a surface of the mold, and the prepreg is cured with ultraviolet light. Additional layers of prepreg may be cut and cured on any layers that have already been cured on the mold. The complete part may be removed from the mold with ejector pins. Scrap prepreg may be recycled in a recycling station that separates reinforcing fiber from uncured resin.

Abstract: A film casting apparatus includes a die which has a non-zero angled discharge direction relative to a horizontal plane. A chill roll is positioned downstream of the die. A film displacement device is positioned proximate to the chill roll and is configured to position the molten polymer on the chill roll and establish the thickness of the film. The non-zero discharge angle is of a predetermined magnitude to gravity assist delivery of the molten polymer to the chill roll. The chill roll is positioned to gravity support the polymer film along a first length of a first side of the polymer film. A first polishing roll is positioned downstream of the chill roll and engages and cools a second length of a second side of the polymer film which is opposite the first side. The first length is substantially equal to the second length.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is for printing a three-dimensional object having an operative surface; a plurality of supply hoppers for dispensing powder, the powder being adapted to be melted by an energy beam, wherein the supply hoppers are configured to form a plurality of vertically-aligned powder beds adjacent to one another on the operative surface simultaneously; and an energy source for emitting an energy beam onto each powder bed simultaneously to melt or fuse a topmost layer of the powder bed onto an underlying powder bed layer or substrate.

Abstract: A manufacturing computer device for dynamically adapting additive manufacturing of a part is configured to store a model of the part including a plurality of build parameters. The manufacturing computer device is also configured to receive current sensor information of at least one current sensor reading of a melt pool from a build of the part in progress. The computer device is further configured to determine one or more attributes of the melt pool based on the current sensor information. Moreover, the computer device is configured to calculate at least one unseen attribute of the melt pool. In addition, the computer device is configured to determine an adjusted build parameter based on the at least one unseen attribute, the one or more attributes, and the plurality of build parameters. The computer device is also configured to transmit the adjusted build parameter to a machine currently manufacturing the part.

Abstract: Additively manufactured components include a support structure and a component body integrally formed with the support structure using an additive-manufacturing process. The support structure includes an array of support members and at least some of the support members have a conduction gate such that the array of support members includes conduction gates distributed at a multitude of locations along the vertical axis of the respective support members. Methods of securing a body of a component to a build platform during additive manufacturing include forming a support structure and a component body integrally with the support structure using the additive-manufacturing process, in which the support structure includes an array of support members and at least some of the support members have a conduction gate such that the array of support members includes conduction gates distributed at a multitude of locations along the vertical axis of the respective support members.

Abstract: A method for producing a three-dimensional object by applying layers of a pulverulent construction material and by selectively solidifying said material by the action of energy comprises the steps: a layer of the pulverulent construction material is applied to a support or to a layer of the construction material that has been previously applied and at least selectively solidified; an energy beam from an energy source sweeps over points on the applied layer corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be produced in order to selectively solidify the pulverulent construction material; and a gas flow is guided in a main flow direction (RG) over the applied layer during the sweep of the energy beam. The main flow direction (RG) of the gas flow (G) and the sweep direction (RL) of the energy beam are adapted to one another at least in one region of the cross-section to be solidified.

Abstract: A system for building a structure. The system includes a reservoir; an immiscible fluid in the reservoir; a membrane operatively connected to the reservoir; channels and delivery ports in the membrane; a microliter amount of curable resin; a delivery system for delivering the microliter amount of curable resin to channels and delivery ports in the membrane and to the reservoir in contact with the immiscible fluid in the reservoir; and an energy source adapted to deliver energy to the reservoir onto the microliter amount of curable resin for building the structure.

Abstract: An apparatus for packaging a semiconductor device is provided. The apparatus includes a first mold, a second mold and a support element. The first mold includes a plate. The second mold includes a carrier disposed corresponding to the plate. The carrier defines a hole penetrating the carrier. The support element is engaged with the hole for supporting an object to be molded.