Greene, Tweed Technologies, Inc.

University of Massachusetts

University of Rhode Island

Elizabeth Sassano

Mookkan Periyasamy

Otto J Gregory

Tao Wei

Ronald R Campbell

Noah A Burke

Carmen J Quartapella

Zakary Kinzel

Godi Fischer

Lachlan Peeke

Wojciech Jan Hajduczek

ShibShankar Banerjee

Stephen Burbine

Leeda Phaen

Erin E Keaney

Joey Mead

An apparatus suitable for extruding curable polymers for forming elastomer articles using additive manufacturing, and curable fluorine-containing polymer compositions suitable for use in such an apparatus are disclosed along with an additive manufacturing method for forming a fluorine-containing elastomer article including providing a filament formed of a curable fluoropolymer composition; providing an additive manufacturing printer having a drive mechanism and a printer nozzle; feeding the filament into an additive manufacturing printer through the drive mechanism and through a longitudinal passage defined by an interior wall of a support tube, wherein the support tube extends from a first end to a second end, and wherein the second end of the support tube is positioned near an inlet to a printer nozzle; applying heat to the filament; and printing successive layers of the heated filament exiting an outlet of the nozzle onto a substrate using the additive manufacturing printer to form the fluorine-containing elastomer article.

Articles formed from fluorine-containing elastomer compositions using an additive manufacturing method and additive manufacturing methods for thermoset elastomer compositions

Methods, systems and a self-sensing valve assembly are described for monitoring seal life. The method includes providing a valve assembly movable from an open position to a closed position and including a seal seated within the valve and in contact with a surface of the valve assembly, wherein when the seal is in operation it is subject to degradation. At least one sensor is placed for measuring micro strain on a surface of the valve assembly or within the valve assembly. The valve assembly is placed in an operation wherein the seal is subject to degradation and the operation of the valve assembly is initiated. At a time after the operation is initiated, micro strain data is recorded and at least one other property related to a condition selected from an ambient condition of operation and a condition related to degradation of the seal is recorded; and the recorded data is analyzed against baseline data associated with 100% seal life to evaluate seal life at the time after the operation is initiated as a percentage of seal life less than 100%.

Smart seals for monitoring and analysis of seal properties useful in semiconductor valves

A method is described for forming composite articles comprising thermoset silicon-containing polymers, that includes (a) providing a first composition comprising a first thermoset silicon-containing polymer; (b) providing a thermoplastic composition; (c) printing a first at least partial layer of the first composition comprising the first thermoset silicon-containing polymer using an additive manufacturing device; and (d) printing an at least partial reinforcing layer comprising the thermoplastic composition using an additive manufacturing device. Also described in an apparatus for preparing a composite article comprising thermoset silicon-containing polymers that includes an additive manufacturing printer having a printer drive mechanism, a first printing nozzle for forming a first layer of a first composition; and a second printing nozzle for forming a second layer of a second composition, wherein the additive manufacturing printer is capable of providing two or more layers of each of the first and the second composition to form a three-dimensional composite article of the first and the second composition according to a computer design model, and wherein at least one of the first printing nozzle and the second printing nozzle is a pressurized printing nozzle comprising a heating mechanism in operable contact therewith.

Method for forming layered thermoset silicone and thermoplastic articles using additive manufacturing, articles formed therefrom and apparatus for use therein

Growing community of inventors

West Chester, PA, United States of America

Elizabeth Sassano