Continuous Composites Inc.

Continouos Composites Inc.

Nathan Andrew Stranberg

Stephen Tyler Wilson

Andrew Michael Stulc

Andrew John Overby

Brock Adam Jahner

Trevor David Budge

Samuel VanDenBerg

Jeremiah R Smith

Ryan C Stockett

Colin Hugh Hambling

Ryan C Stocket

Tyler B Alvarado

Mikel Negugogor

Logan Lalonde

Dan Budge

Kyle Frank Cummings

Maxwell Joseph Johnson

Chase Bosman

Christopher Losee

Kenneth Lyle Tyler

Marcus Raye Vincent Brodie

Brian Dunham

Tyler Alvarado

A system is disclosed for additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include a support, and a print head operatively connected to and moveable by the support. The print head may include a first supply configured to hold a liquid matrix, a second supply configured to hold a continuous reinforcement, and a wetting module configured to separately receive the liquid matrix and the continuous reinforcement from the first and second supplies, respectively, and to discharge a composite material including the continuous reinforcement wetted with the liquid matrix. The wetting module may include a body forming an internal chamber having an upstream open end and a downstream open end, an entrant nozzle disposed within the upstream open end and configured to receive the continuous reinforcement, and an exit nozzle disposed within the downstream closed end and configured to discharge the composite material.

Print head for additive manufacturing system

A system is disclosed for additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include a support, and a print head operatively connected to and moveable by the support. The print head may include an outlet configured to discharge a material in a trajectory along a central axis of the outlet, and a compactor disposed downstream of the outlet relative to the trajectory and configured to press the material transversely against an adjacent surface. The outlet may be configured to translate relative to the compacting module.

A method is disclosed for manufacturing a joint. The method may include depositing a first plurality of paths within a first layer. Each of the first plurality of paths may have a center portion, a first portion extending away from the center portion to at least partially form a first branch, and a second portion integral extending away from the center portion opposite the first portion to at least partially form a second branch. The method may further include depositing a second plurality of paths primarily within the first layer. Each of the second plurality of paths may have a center portion, and a first portion extending away from the center portion to at least partially form a third branch of the joint. The second plurality of paths may cross over and be bonded to the first plurality of paths to form spaced-apart bumps that extend into a second layer.

Systems and methods of additive manufacturing

A system is disclosed for additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include a support, a discharge head connected to and moveable by the support, a supply of reinforcement, and a rotary tensioner located between the supply and the discharge head. The rotary tensioner may be configured to impart tension to the reinforcement and to generate a signal indicative of the tension. The system may further include a drive associated with the supply, and a controller in communication with the rotary tensioner and the drive. The controller may be configured to selectively adjust a feed parameter of the drive based on the signal to maintain a desired level of tension.

System for additive manufacturing

A method is disclosed for manufacturing a joint. The method may include depositing a first path of composite material within a first layer at the joint. The first path may have a center at a center of the joint, a first portion integral with the center portion and extending away from the center portion, and a second portion integral with the center and extending away from the center portion. The method may further include depositing a second path of composite material within the first layer at the joint. The second path may have a center at the center of the joint, and a first portion integral with the center of the second path and extending away from the center of the second path. The center portion of the second path may be parallel with, abut and be bonded to the center portion of the first path.

Systems and methods for additive manufacturing

A system is disclosed for additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include a support, and a print head operatively connected to and moveable by the support. The print head may include an outlet configured to discharge a material in a trajectory along a central axis of the outlet; a compactor disposed downstream of the outlet relative to the trajectory and configured to press the material transversely against an adjacent surface, and a cutting module located between the outlet and the compactor. The compactor and the cutting module may be configured to move together relative to the outlet.

Print heads for additive manufacturing systems

A print head is disclosed for use in additively manufacturing an object. The print head may have a housing, and a wetting module configured to wet a reinforcement with a liquid matrix. The print head may also include a matrix supply configured to hold a quantity of the liquid matrix and supply the liquid matrix to the wetting module.

Additive manufacturing system

A system is disclosed for use in additively manufacturing an object. The system may have a support and a first module operatively mounted to an end of the support and configured to discharge a material during motion of the support to form an object. The system may also have a second module configured to sever the material, at least a third module configured to at least one of compact or cure the material, and an actuator configured to cause movement of the second and the at least a third modules relative to the first module.

A system is disclosed that includes an end effector and a support configured to move the end effector. The support may include a first link, a second link rotationally connected to the first link at a joint, and a motor rigidly mounted to the first link and configured to drive rotation of the second link relative to the first link. The support may also include a sole encoder associated with the joint and configured to generate a signal indicative of a position of the first link relative to the second link. The system may further include a controller in communication with the sole encoder and the motor. The controller may be configured to selectively trim operation of the motor based only on the signal.

System for additively manufacturing composite structure

A system is disclosed for additively manufacturing a structure. The system may include a motion platform, a print head, and a drive. The drive may include a base connectable to the motion platform, a slipring disposed inside of the base, and a drivetrain extending between the base and the print head.

An additive manufacturing system is disclosed for use in fabricating a structure. The additive manufacturing system may include a support, and a print head operatively connected to and moveable by the support. The print head may include a housing, a supply module operatively mounted to the housing and configured to hold a supply of continuous reinforcement, an impregnation module operatively mounted to the housing and configured to wet the continuous reinforcement with a matrix, and a clamping module operatively mounted to the housing downstream of the supply module relative to movement of a reinforcement through the print head. The clamping module may be configured to selectively clamp the continuous reinforcement. The additive manufacturing system may also include a controller in communication with the support and the print head and configured to coordinate operations of the support and the print head to fabricate a three-dimensional structure.

A system is disclosed for additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include a support, and a print head operatively connected to and moveable by the support. The print head may include a first supply configured to hold a continuous reinforcement, a second supply configured to hold a matrix separate from the continuous reinforcement, and a wetting mechanism in separate communication with the first and second supplies and configured to discharge the continuous reinforcement wetted with the matrix. The system may also include a controller programmed to selectively pressurize the second supply to direct the matrix to the wetting mechanism.

A system is disclosed for additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include a support, and a print head connected to and moveable by the support. The print head may have an outlet configured to discharge a continuous reinforcement at least partially coated in a matrix, and a device located inside the print head and configured to at least partially coat the continuous reinforcement with the matrix. The system may also include a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of an amount of the matrix, and a controller in communication with the sensor and the device. The controller may be configured to direct a command to the device to cause the device to advance matrix toward the continuous reinforcement during passage of the continuous reinforcement through the print head, and to selectively adjust the command based on the signal.

A system is disclosed for use in additively manufacturing an object. The system may have a reinforcement supply, a matrix supply, and a wetting module configured to separately receive reinforcement from the reinforcement supply and matrix from the matrix supply and to discharge the reinforcement wetted with the matrix. The wetting module may include a body forming an enclosure and having an inlet end configured to receive the reinforcement and an outlet end configured to discharge the reinforcement wetted with the matrix. The wetting module may also include a plurality of nozzles dividing the enclosure into at least a wetting chamber.

An additive manufacturing system is disclosed for use in discharging a continuous reinforcement. The additive manufacturing system may include a support, and a compactor operatively connected to and movable by the support. The compactor may be configured to apply a pressure to the continuous reinforcement during discharge. The additive manufacturing system may also include a feed roller biased toward the compactor to sandwich the continuous reinforcement between the roller and the compactor, and a cutting mechanism at least partially recessed within at least one of the feed roller and the compactor. The cutting mechanism may be configured to selectively move radially outward to engage the continuous reinforcement.

Growing community of inventors

Post Falls, ID, United States of America

Nathan Andrew Stranberg