Ut-battelle, Inc.

Randall F Lind

Lonnie J Love

Brian K Post

Phillip C Chesser

Alex C Roschli

John Francis Jansen

Bradley S Richardson

David L Beshears

Jeffrey D Muhs

Lonnie Curt Maxey

Dennis Duncan Earl

John K Jordan

Peter D Lloyd

Andrew P Reis

Craig A Blue

Vlastimil Kunc

Ryan Dehoff

William H Peter

Francois G Pin

Mark W Noakes

John C Rowe

Lonnie L Love

Celeste Atkins

Matthew R Sallas

Colin L Cini

A print head for additive manufacturing with a material includes an accumulator comprising an elongated body with an open interior and an inside diameter. A slide tube is slidably mounted within the open interior of the elongated body. The slide tube has a sealing piston head hermetically sealing the open end within the elongated body to define a variable gas containment space. A pressurized gas is supplied to the gas containment space. A rotatable shaping nozzle with an opening for discharging material is provided. A positive displacement extruder delivers material from the accumulator to the nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly can include a nozzle rotation drive for rotating the shaping nozzle about an axis of rotation. The nozzle opening can be aligned with the axis of rotation, and defines a discharge axis that can be perpendicular to the axis of rotation. A method of additive manufacturing is also disclosed.

Precision bead forming 3D print head for cementitious materials

A cable-driven additive manufacturing system includes an end effector configured for linear translation within a three-dimensional workspace, an aerial hoist suspending the end effector by at least one suspension cable, a plurality of base stations disposed below the aerial hoist, and control cables running from each of the base stations to the end effector.

Cable-driven additive manufacturing system

An additive manufacturing method that includes an extruder providing a supply of working material and a nozzle connected with respect to the extruder, the nozzle directing the working material to a deposit surface. A diverter valve is positioned between the extruder and the nozzle to direct the working material to an exhaust port away from the deposit surface under certain conditions.

Polymer exhaust for eliminating extruder transients

A methodfor generating and dispensing a powderedrelease agent during an additive manufacturing build is disclosed. A solid bodyof release agent material is ground insitu by a grinderand dispensed on a surface of the partto prevent adhesion of an adjacent layer of a base material. With the addition of the powderedrelease agent, a support structureis easily separated from the base materialwhen the partis complete, saving time and preventing the partfrom sustaining unintentional damage. Since no powderedrelease agent is actually loaded or stored in the apparatus, the potential for spillage, waste, inconsistent dispensing, inadvertent dispensing, and clumping due to humidity is eliminated.

Method for generating and dispensing a powdered release agent

An apparatusand a methodfor generating and dispensing a powderedrelease agent during an additive manufacturing build is disclosed. A solid bodyof release agent material is ground insitu by a grinderand dispensed on a surface of the partto prevent adhesion of an adjacent layer of a base material. With the addition of the powderedrelease agent, a support structureis easily separated from the base materialwhen the partis complete, saving time and preventing the partfrom sustaining unintentional damage. Since no powderedrelease agent is actually loaded or stored in the apparatus, the potential for spillage, waste, inconsistent dispensing, inadvertent dispensing, and clumping due to humidity is eliminated.

Apparatus for generating and dispensing a powdered release agent

A manufactured component, method and apparatus for advanced manufacturing that includes a polymeric working material formed into a mandrel with a carbon fiber overlay formed in a continuation of the process. The mandrel build and the carbon fiber overlay of the component preferably take place at atmospheric temperatures.

Method of forming a carbon fiber layup

An additive manufacturing extrusion head that includes a heated nozzle for accepting a feedstock and extruding the feedstock onto a substrate at a deposition plane, the nozzle having a longitudinal extrusion axis. A reciprocating platen surrounds the nozzle, the platen operable to reciprocate along the extrusion axis at or above the deposition plane as the nozzle extrudes feedstock onto the substrate; and wherein the platen flattens the extruded feedstock such that it does not protrude above the deposition plane as the extrusion head traverses over the substrate.

Enhanced additive manufacturing with a reciprocating platen

An additive manufacturing extrusion head includes a nozzle for accepting and depositing a heated material onto a work surface and/or part. The nozzle includes a valve body and an internal poppet body moveable between positions to permit deposition of at least two bead sizes of heated material onto a work surface and/or part.

Multi-orifice deposition nozzle for additive manufacturing

Hydraulic actuation systems having concentric chambers, variable displacements and energy recovery capabilities include cylinders with pistons disposed inside of barrels. When operating in energy consuming modes, high speed valves pressurize extension chambers or retraction chambers to provide enough force to meet or counteract an opposite load force. When operating in energy recovery modes, high speed valves return a working fluid from extension chambers or retraction chambers, which are pressurized by a load, to an accumulator for later use.

Energy efficient fluid powered linear actuator with variable area and concentric chambers

Hydraulic actuation systems having variable displacements and energy recovery capabilities include cylinders with pistons disposed inside of barrels. When operating in energy consuming modes, high speed valves pressurize extension chambers or retraction chambers to provide enough force to meet or counteract an opposite load force. When operating in energy recovery modes, high speed valves return a working fluid from extension chambers or retraction chambers, which are pressurized by a load, to an accumulator for later use.

Energy efficient fluid powered linear actuator with variable area

A robotic, prosthetic or orthotic member includes a body formed of a solidified metallic powder. At least one working fluid cylinder is formed in the body. A piston is provided in the working fluid cylinder for pressurizing a fluid in the cylinder. At least one working fluid conduit receives the pressurized fluid from the cylinder. The body, working fluid cylinder and working fluid conduit have a unitary construction. A method of making a robotic member is also disclosed.

Freeform fluidics

An apparatus for obtaining samples from a structure includes a support member, at least one stabilizing member, and at least one moveable member. The stabilizing member has a first portion coupled to the support member and a second portion configured to engage with the structure to restrict relative movement between the support member and the structure. The stabilizing member is radially expandable from a first configuration where the second portion does not engage with a surface of the structure to a second configuration where the second portion engages with the surface of the structure.

Stack sampling apparatus

A mesofluidic scale digital valve system includes a first mesofluidic scale valve having a valve body including a bore, wherein the valve body is configured to cooperate with a solenoid disposed substantially adjacent to the valve body to translate a poppet carried within the bore. The mesofluidic scale digital valve system also includes a second mesofluidic scale valve disposed substantially perpendicular to the first mesofluidic scale valve. The mesofluidic scale digital valve system further includes a control element in communication with the solenoid, wherein the control element is configured to maintain the solenoid in an energized state for a fixed period of time to provide a desired flow rate through an orifice of the second mesofluidic valve.

Mesofluidic two stage digital valve

A mesofluidic powered robotic and/or prosthetic finger joint includes a first finger section having at least one mesofluidic actuator in fluid communication with a first actuator, a second mesofluidic actuator in fluid communication with a second actuator and a second prosthetic finger section pivotally connected to the first finger section by a joint pivot, wherein the first actuator pivotally cooperates with the second finger to provide a first mechanical advantage relative to the joint point and wherein the second actuator pivotally cooperates with the second finger section to provide a second mechanical advantage relative to the joint point.

Mesofluidic controlled robotic or prosthetic finger

Mechanical joints are provided in which the angle between a first coupled member and a second coupled member may be varied by mechanical actuators. In some embodiments the angle may be varied around a pivot axis in one plane and in some embodiments the angle may be varied around two pivot axes in two orthogonal planes. The joints typically utilize a cam assembly having two lobes with an involute surface. Actuators are configured to push against the lobes to vary the rotation angle between the first and second coupled member.

Growing community of inventors

Loudon, TN, United States of America

Randall F Lind