Abstract: An autonomous fabrication method and system are described. A multi-axis robotic arm having at least one end effector is provided, where the at least one end effector comprises an additive manufacturing (AM) toolhead and a component gripping mechanism. The multi-axis robotic arm is directed to fabricate a first portion of an object in a workspace using the AM toolhead, select a prefabricated part using the component gripping mechanism, place the prefabricated part in a predetermined location of the object, and fabricate a second portion of the object in the workspace using the AM toolhead. The object may be one of an unmanned aerial vehicle and an unmanned ground-based vehicle.

Abstract: Various embodiments of in-situ geometric monitoring for manufacturing processes are described. In one example embodiment, a manufacturing workcell includes a plurality of in-situ sensors individually configured to capture discrete geometric signature data indicative of at least one layer of a printing part positioned in the manufacturing workcell during a manufacturing process. The manufacturing workcell further includes a computing device coupled to the plurality of in-situ sensors. The computing device includes a memory device to store computer-readable instructions thereon. The computing device further includes at least one processing device configured through execution of the computer-readable instructions to perform an in-situ evaluation of geometric error of the printing part at the manufacturing workcell during the manufacturing process based at least in part on the discrete geometric signature data.

Abstract: An autonomous fabrication method and system are described. A multi-axis robotic arm having at least one end effector is provided, where the at least one end effector comprises an additive manufacturing (AM) toolhead and a component gripping mechanism. The multi-axis robotic arm is directed to fabricate a first portion of an object in a workspace using the AM toolhead, select a prefabricated part using the component gripping mechanism, place the prefabricated part in a predetermined location of the object, and fabricate a second portion of the object in the workspace using the AM toolhead. The object may be one of an unmanned aerial vehicle and an unmanned ground-based vehicle.