Abstract: An animal roost and a method of fabricating an animal roost are provided. The method includes operating a printhead having a nozzle to deposit a first layer of material through the nozzle. The first layer is one of a plurality of iteratively deposited layers of an additive build according to a three-dimensional computer model, such that the additive build is comprised of successive layers of the deposited material. The material is a biomass-derived polymer composite. The additive build forms the animal roost and includes a body having a top end and open bottom end and including front and rear walls that together define an internal volume. The additive build further includes one or more cantilevered leaves disposed within the internal volume and extending in a downward direction from the top end towards the bottom end. The one or more leaves partition the internal volume into a plurality of roosting enclosures.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing system for an additive manufacturing material and embedded short-chopped fibers includes an extruder comprising a nozzle having a nozzle flow channel. The nozzle includes a plurality of spaced apart elongated aligning structures distributed inside the nozzle flow channel and parallel to the longitudinal center axis defining alignment flow channels within the nozzle flow channel. A nozzle for additive manufacturing, a method of additive manufacturing, and a method of making a nozzle for an additive manufacturing system for and additive manufacturing material and embedded short-chopped fibers are also disclosed.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing system for additive manufacturing material with long fibers includes an extruder comprising a nozzle that includes a static-mixing portion, a compression portion, and a long fiber alignment portion. The static-mixing portion includes a static-mixing channel with static-mixing rods distributed inside and extending radially inward from a channel wall. The long fiber alignment portion has an alignment channel with a diameter DAC that is less than a diameter DSMC of the static-mixing channel. The compression portion includes with a reducing diameter from an input end to an output end of the compression channel. A nozzle and method for additive manufacturing are also disclosed.

Abstract: A hybrid additive manufacturing and thermoforming method is provided. The method includes additively manufacturing one or more reinforcing structures directly onto a polymer sheet before shaping the polymer sheet onto a mold and/or while the polymer sheet is shaped onto a mold. By leveraging the design control of additive manufacturing, reinforcing structures can be deposited onto the polymer sheet as needed based on the intended application. These reinforcing structures can comprise standard infill patterns or complex custom core designs. The present invention provides an innovative way in which to mass produce custom thermoformed components with an optimal mechanical response.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing system for additive manufacturing with an additive manufacturing material and fibers includes an extruder comprising a static-mixing nozzle having a static-mixing channel and static-mixing structures distributed inside the static-mixing channel and extending radially inward from the channel wall, and being longitudinally distributed and radially staggered over a portion of the length of the static-mixing channel. A static-mixing nozzle, a method of additive manufacturing, and a method of making a static mixing nozzle for additive manufacturing are also disclosed.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing system for an additive manufacturing material and embedded short-chopped fibers includes an extruder comprising a nozzle having a nozzle flow channel. The nozzle includes a plurality of spaced apart elongated aligning structures distributed inside the nozzle flow channel and parallel to the longitudinal center axis defining alignment flow channels within the nozzle flow channel. A nozzle for additive manufacturing, a method of additive manufacturing, and a method of making a nozzle for an additive manufacturing system for and additive manufacturing material and embedded short-chopped fibers are also disclosed.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing system for additive manufacturing material with long fibers includes an extruder comprising a nozzle that includes a static-mixing portion, a compression portion, and a long fiber alignment portion. The static-mixing portion includes a static-mixing channel with static-mixing rods distributed inside and extending radially inward from a channel wall. The long fiber alignment portion has an alignment channel with a diameter DAC that is less than a diameter DSMC of the static-mixing channel. The compression portion includes with a reducing diameter from an input end to an output end of the compression channel. A nozzle and method for additive manufacturing are also disclosed.