Meld Manufacturing Corporation

Nanci Hardwick

Anita Broach

Chase Cox

Christopher Garguilo

Wayne Hubbard

Frederic Lalande

Solid-state additive manufacturing methods for compounding conductive plastic compositions, fabrication of conductive plastic parts and conductive coatings, and plastic recycling are disclosed. Electrically conductive or thermally conductive plastic compositions are compounded and subsequently printed with the solid-state additive manufacturing system. The solid-state fabricated compositions, parts and coatings can also be manufactured to be both thermally and electrically conductive. Solid-state plastic waste recycling methods are also disclosed where various plastic waste materials and shapes are solid-state processed. The plastic waste can be mixed with virgin plastic material or mixed with other types of materials such as metals, ceramics or their combination. The waste plastic feedstock is reinforced with different types of reinforcing particles or fibers, or various additives are added for improving properties of the final deposits.

Solid-state additive manufacturing methods for compounding conductive polymer compositions

A process control system and a method for process control of a solid-state additive manufacturing system capable of performing various additive processes, such as joining, additive manufacturing, coating, repair and others, are disclosed. The process control system is capable of simultaneous measuring, monitoring and controlling multiple process variables, viz. material temperature, actuator down force, tool force (or torque), tool position, tool angular and transverse velocity, spindle torque (angular velocity), filler flow rate, filler composition, track width, inert gas flow rate and others. A feeding system for continuous supply of filler material to the solid-state additive manufacturing system is also disclosed. The filler material can be in a form of a powder, granules, briquettes, beads, flakes, wires, rods, films, scrap pieces, sheets, blocks or their combinations. Methods for generation of different periodic and non-periodic structures and joints using the process-controlled solid-state additive manufacturing system are also disclosed.

Process control systems and methods using a solid-state additive manufacturing system and continuous feeding systems and structures

A solid-state additive manufacturing additive manufacturing system applicable to building up 3D structures, coating and functionalizing surfaces, joining structures, adding customized features to objects, compounding proprietary compositions and repairing various structures is disclosed. The solid-state additive manufacturing system enables deposition of different fillers, viz. metals, metal alloys, MMCs, polymers, plastics, composites, hybrids and gradient compositions, as well as controls the resulting deposit structures, e.g. specific nano-/micro-, gradient- and porous-material structures. The system accommodates various feeding-, spindle- and tool-designs for depositing different forms of filler materials, viz. rods, wires, granules, powders, powder-filled-tubes, scrap pieces or their combination, and a working platform with multiple access points. One or multiple motors, driving and monitoring units control the movement of the workpiece, spindle and tool and move the filler through the feeding system, which passageway is in communication with the passageways of the spindle and the tool.

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Blacksburg, VA, United States of America

Nanci Hardwick