Autodesk, Inc.

Arris Composites Inc.

Cory Mark Bloome

James Sherwood Page

Erick Matthew Davidson

Ethan Escowitz

J Scott Perkins

Andreas Linas Bastian

Peter Joseph Schmehl

Riley Reese

Todd A Pelman

Gregory David Meess

Kenneth Lawrence Mejia

Joseph Isaac Sadusk

Matthew Hovanec

Kameron Butler

Christopher P Bender

Aljosa Kemperle

Gregory Daniel Friedland

Michael Anthony Crockett

Alexander Darrow

Dylan Harper

Adam Hansel

Ryan Satcher

A method and apparatus for the continuous fabrication of fiber-bundle-based and composite-tape based preforms and preform charges includes a mandrel about which a constituent material, which is maintained under tension, is wound. The tension is insufficient to fully consolidate the wound material.

Method and apparatus for continuous fabrication of fiber-bundle-based and tape-base preforms

A preformer capable of simultaneously forming plural preforms includes a forming surface and source of heat. The forming surface includes guides to keep fiber bundles, the nascent form of the preforms, spaced apart and to maintain their cross-sectional dimension. In some embodiments, the preformer further includes a source of energy, and in some embodiments, the preformer includes a source of energy and a cooling source. A method for forming preforms is also disclosed.

Method and system for batch preforming of fiber bundles

A preform-charge fixture creates a preform charge, which is a partially consolidated assemblage of preforms that can be efficiently transferred to a mold to create a finished part in a molding process, such as compression molding. In the illustrative embodiment, the preform-charge fixture includes peripheral cleats that are movable towards a central cleat to create a small gap therebetween that receives and constrains preforms in a desired position. The fixture also includes clamps, which are operable to engage an uppermost layer of preforms in the gap and apply a slight amount of downward pressure thereto to assure that the preforms are properly seated. The fixture also accommodates an energy source that heats the preforms so that, in conjunction with downforce applied by the clamps and/or gravity, the preforms can be tacked together, forming the preform charge.

Fixture and method for use in a molding process

Methods, systems, and computer programs for multi-tool additive manufacturing include a method including: slicing a received model into a series of layers; determining one or more separation starting points, each being a location of two adjoining portions of the model that are to be manufactured by respective additive manufacturing robots; and determining an offset for each of the one or more separation starting points in each layer of the series of layers based on a threshold acceptable print time, each offset in a layer determining a seam location in the layer that is different from a seam location in at least one adjacent layer in the series of layers, and seam offsets determined for the series of layers increase an estimated print time, for manufacturing of the series of layers by the two or more additive manufacturing robots, to no more than the threshold acceptable print time.

Multi-tool additive manufacturing system with seam locations determined by print time

A fused filament fabrication three dimensional printing system includes a build platform, an extruder for one or more deposition materials, the extruder including at least one nozzle movable relative to the build platform, and a controller configured to control the relative movement between the build platform and the nozzle, and to cause material to be extruded out of the nozzle to form a 3D object on the build platform. The build platform includes a first plate on which the 3D object is formed, a second plate that is positioned vertically below the first plate and defines at least one gap between the first and second plates, and a heating element that is configured to heat the second plate. The first plate defines at least one opening that is configured to allow passage of material extruded from the nozzle into the at least one gap between the first and second plates.

Controllable release build plate for 3D printer

An additive manufacturing system, which can include a 3D printer, includes in at least one aspect: a build platform; a carriage and a rack configured to hold different manufacturing tools, including an extrusion tool; a heating device associated with the extrusion tool; a 3D motion system configured to move the carriage between the rack and a build space associated with the build platform, and to move the carriage within the build space associated with the build platform; and one or more computers programmed to trigger the heating device to begin pre-heating the extrusion tool at a point before mounting of the extrusion tool to the carriage by the 3D motion system, such that the material in the extrusion tool is melted by a point in the manufacturing process when the extrusion tool will be mounted on the carriage and in position to extrude material in the build space.

Heating and cooling of extrusion tool for additive manufacturing

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for a multi-tool additive manufacturing system that executes in a three-dimensional build volume. In one aspect, a system includes a build platform; a support; a first robot coupled with the support and configured to operate in a build volume defined by the build platform, wherein the first robot includes a first additive manufacturing tool; a second robot coupled with the support and configured to operate in the build volume, wherein the second robot includes a second additive manufacturing tool; wherein the first robot and the second robot are programmed to coordinate simultaneous application; and wherein a first tool path of the first additive manufacturing tool in the first region abuts or overlaps with a second tool path of the second additive manufacturing tool in the second region so as to form a bond.

Coordinated multi-tool additive manufacturing method

A hot end associated with an extruder for a Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) three dimensional (3D) printer includes, in at least one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification: a heater; a temperature sensor coupled with the heater; an FFF material delivery channel; a heat sink coupled with the FFF material delivery channel; a nozzle coupled with the FFF material delivery channel and with the heater, the nozzle having a total included angle of less than or equal to sixty degrees and greater than or equal to ten degrees, with respect to a nozzle target point; and a cooling delivery system for at least the heat sink; where the heat sink, the heater, the temperature sensor, the FFF material delivery channel, the nozzle, and the cooling delivery system are all contained within a volume defined by the total included angle with respect to the nozzle target point.

Narrow angle hot end for three dimensional (3D) printer

Three dimensional (3D) delta printer

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Cory Mark Bloome