Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Other

Neri Oxman

Michael C Stern

Chikara Inamura

Peter Houk

Steven J Keating

Benjamin Peters

Markus Kayser

Jorge Duro Royo

Tal Achituv

John Klein

Shreya H Dave

Daniel Lizardo

Giorgia Franchin

Laia Mogas Soldevila

James C Weaver

Andrea Ling

Joseph Henry Kennedy, Jr

Yen-Ju Tai

Levi Cai

Dominik Kolb

Christoph Bader

Joshua Van Zak

Nassia Inglessis

Nicolas Hogan

Sara Falcone

Barrak Darweesh

Multiple colloids or hydrogels may each have a different chemical composition. A printer may extrude the colloids or hydrogels to form a physical object, in such a way that which hydrogel or colloid is deposited&#x2014;or the amount of each hydrogel or colloid that is deposited&#x2014;varies as a function of spatial position. Thus, the material composition and material properties of the physical object may vary at different locations. In some cases, physical properties of the structure being fabricated, such as surface roughness and hydrophilicity, are directly related to relative proportions of the materials being deposited and their fabrication processes. In some cases, cells, microorganisms, nutrients or other bioactive materials are embedded in or introduced to the fabricated structure. In some cases, the different materials in different spatial positions in the fabricated object may have different abilities to immobilize, localize, and stabilize specific nutrients and chemical signals.

Methods and apparatus for parametric fabrication

A team of robots may fabricate a tubular structure. Each robot may fabricate a tube by winding resin-covered fiber around an inflated, cylindrical mandrel of the robot. The resin may cure, resulting in a hardened tube segment The robot may extend the tube by fabricating additional segments of the tube, one segment at a time. After a first segment cures, the mandrel may deflate, then the robot may move up inside the tube, then the mandrel may inflate, and the robot may begin fabricating another tube segment. After completing a tube segment, the robot may tilt relative to that segment, before starting the next segment. By doing so, the robot may cause the tube to be curved. A computer may guide the team of robots during fabrication of the tubes, by executing a flocking algorithm. The algorithm may prevent collisions with already fabricated tube segments.

Methods and apparatus for tube fabrication

One or more input/output devices accept user-inputted path instructions that specify a set of multiple deposition paths for an extruder to travel. An actuator actuates motion of the extruder along a trajectory that includes each of the deposition paths and also includes multiple non-deposition paths. For each deposition path: (a) the user-inputted path instructions specify a thickness of an object; and (b) the extruder extrudes the object in accordance with fabrication instructions computed by a computer based at least in part on the thickness. As the extruder moves over the entire trajectory, the extruder extrudes a set of objects, one object per deposition path. The objects adhere to each other to form an integral 3D structure. In some cases, the objects include functionally graded material.

Methods and apparatus for additive manufacturing along user-specified toolpaths

A nozzle deposits a filament of viscous, molten glass onto a print bed, while the print bed rotates about a vertical axis and translates in x, y, and z directions. The deposition is computer controlled, such that the resulting deposited filament forms a desired glass object that is solid after it anneals. One or more motors rotate the print bed such that the direction of deposition of the molten glass is constant relative to the nozzle, even though the print bed is translating in different directions relative to the nozzle. Keeping the direction of deposition constant relative to the nozzle tends to prevent the extruded filament of molten glass from experiencing large, changing, tensile and shear forces that would otherwise occur and that would otherwise damage the filament.

Methods and apparatus for additive manufacturing with molten glass

In exemplary implementations of this invention, an actuated fabricator deposits structural elements (e.g., tensile structural elements) in a 3D pattern over large displacements. The fabricator is supported by at least three elongated support members. It includes onboard actuators that translate the fabricator relative to the ends of the support members. The fabricator is configured, by actuating different translations along different support members, to translate itself throughout a 3D volume. In some implementations, each of the actuators use fusible material to fuse metal tapes together, edge-to-edge, to form a hollow structure that can be shortened or lengthened.

Methods and apparatus for actuated fabricator

In illustrative implementations of this invention, a crucible kiln heats glass such that the glass becomes or remains molten. A nozzle extrudes the molten glass while one or more actuators actuate movements of the nozzle, a build platform or both. A computer controls these movements such that the extruded molten glass is selectively deposited to form a 3D glass object. The selective deposition of molten glass occurs inside an annealing kiln. The annealing kiln anneals the glass after it is extruded. In some cases, the actuators actuate the crucible kiln and nozzle to move in horizontal x, y directions and actuate the build platform to move in a z-direction. In some cases, fluid flows through a cavity or tubes adjacent to the nozzle tip, in order to cool the nozzle tip and thereby reduce the amount of glass that sticks to the nozzle tip.

Methods and apparatus for additive manufacturing of glass

An unorganized point cloud may be created by an optical 3D scanner that scans a physical object, or by computer simulation. The point cloud may be converted into binary raster layers, which encode material deposition instructions for a multi-material 3D printer. In many cases, this conversion&#x2014;from point cloud to binary raster files&#x2014;is achieved without producing a 3D voxel representation and without producing a boundary representation of the object to be printed. The conversion may involve spatial queries to find nearby points, filtering material properties of the found points, looking up material mixing ratios, and dithering to produce binary raster files. These raster files may be sent to a multi-material 3D printer to control fabrication of an object. A user interface may display a preview of the object to be printed, and may accept user input to create or modify a point cloud.

Methods and apparatus for 3D printing of point cloud data

In exemplary implementations of this invention, a nozzle sprays foam, layer by layer, to fabricate a fabricated object according to a CAD model, and a subtractive fabrication tool removes material from the fabricated object according to a CAD model. The fabricated object comprises a mold or an interior form. The foam may be low-density, high strength and fast-curing. The foam may be used for large-scale 3D printing. For example, the foam may be used to 3D print molds for walls of homes. The foam molds may be left in place, after casting concrete in the molds, to serve as insulation. Or for example, the foam may be used to 3D print on site an internal form for a large wind turbine blade. The wind turbine blade may then be produced on site by depositing fiberglass on the outside of the internal form.

Methods and apparatus for computer-assisted spray foam fabrication

A reconfigurable device comprises flexible bladder that encloses a jammable material. The geometry of the device can be altered by unjamming the jammable material (making it flexible), changing the shape of the device while it is flexible, and then jamming the jammable material (making it rigid). In some applications of this invention, a joint connects rigid arms. The ends of the rigid arms are enclosed in the bladder. By varying the stiffness of the jammable material in the bladder, the stiffness of the joint can be controlled.

Jamming methods and apparatus

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Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Neri Oxman